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WO1996021020A2 - Sequences virales de la maladie de borna et procedes diagnostiques et therapeutiques destines aux affections du systeme nerveux - Google Patents

Sequences virales de la maladie de borna et procedes diagnostiques et therapeutiques destines aux affections du systeme nerveux Download PDF

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WO1996021020A2
WO1996021020A2 PCT/US1996/000418 US9600418W WO9621020A2 WO 1996021020 A2 WO1996021020 A2 WO 1996021020A2 US 9600418 W US9600418 W US 9600418W WO 9621020 A2 WO9621020 A2 WO 9621020A2
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Prior art keywords
bdv
amino acid
proteins
protein
acid position
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WO1996021020A3 (fr
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W. Ian Lipkin
Thomas Briese
Stefanie Kliche
Patrick A. Schneider
Lothar Stitz
Anette Schneemann
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University of California Berkeley
University of California San Diego UCSD
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University of California Berkeley
University of California San Diego UCSD
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Priority claimed from US08/369,822 external-priority patent/US6015660A/en
Priority claimed from US08/434,831 external-priority patent/US6113905A/en
Application filed by University of California Berkeley, University of California San Diego UCSD filed Critical University of California Berkeley
Priority to JP8521274A priority Critical patent/JPH10504724A/ja
Priority to EP96903456A priority patent/EP0805862A1/fr
Priority to AU47543/96A priority patent/AU4754396A/en
Publication of WO1996021020A2 publication Critical patent/WO1996021020A2/fr
Publication of WO1996021020A3 publication Critical patent/WO1996021020A3/fr
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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07K—PEPTIDES
    • C07K14/00—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof
    • C07K14/005—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from viruses
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
    • A61P25/00—Drugs for disorders of the nervous system
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
    • A61P31/00—Antiinfectives, i.e. antibiotics, antiseptics, chemotherapeutics
    • A61P31/12—Antivirals
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
    • A01K2217/00—Genetically modified animals
    • A01K2217/05—Animals comprising random inserted nucleic acids (transgenic)
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K39/00—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies
    • A61K2039/51—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies comprising whole cells, viruses or DNA/RNA
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K38/00—Medicinal preparations containing peptides
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K39/00—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K48/00—Medicinal preparations containing genetic material which is inserted into cells of the living body to treat genetic diseases; Gene therapy
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
    • C12N2760/00—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA ssRNA viruses negative-sense
    • C12N2760/00011—Details
    • C12N2760/00022—New viral proteins or individual genes, new structural or functional aspects of known viral proteins or genes
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
    • C12N2760/00—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA ssRNA viruses negative-sense
    • C12N2760/00011—Details
    • C12N2760/00041—Use of virus, viral particle or viral elements as a vector
    • C12N2760/00043—Use of virus, viral particle or viral elements as a vector viral genome or elements thereof as genetic vector
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S435/00—Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology
    • Y10S435/975—Kit

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the field of virology, immunology, gene therapy, transplantation of viral transfected cells, and in vivo chemical delivery.
  • Boma disease is an immune-mediated neurologic syndrome ⁇ Narayan, 0., et al . , Science 220:1401-1403 (1983) ⁇ caused by infection with Boma disease virus (BDV).
  • BDV is a neurotropic, nonsegmented and negative-strand RNA virus that causes a progressive, immune-mediated neurologic disease characterized by disturbances in movement and behavior (Ludwig, H., et al., Prog. Med. Virol, 35:107-151 ⁇ . It causes fatal disease in expensive domestic animals.
  • natural infection was originally considered to be restricted to horses and sheep in Southeastern Germany, recent studies suggest that BDV infects horses in North America ⁇ Kao, M., et al., Vet. Rec.
  • BDV grows only to low titer, it was difficult to purify for analysis.
  • identification of BDV cDNA clones by subtractive hybridization ⁇ Lipkin, W. I., et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:4184-4188 (1990) and VandeWoude, S., et al., Science 250:1276-1281 (1990) ⁇ and, more recently, the advent of a method for isolation of virus particles ⁇ Briese, T., et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.
  • the diagnosis of BDV infection is based on the appearance of a clinical syndrome consistent with disease, and the presence of serum antibodies that detect viral proteins in infected cells by indirect immnunofluorescent test (IFT) ⁇ Pauli, G., et al., Zbl. Vet. Med. [B] 31:552-557 (1984) ⁇ , Western blot (WB; immunoblotting) or immunoprecipitation (IP) ⁇ Ludwig, H., et al., Prog. Med. Virol, 35:107-151 (1988) ⁇ .
  • IFT indirect immnunofluorescent test
  • WB Western blot
  • IP immunoprecipitation
  • Boma disease virus BDV
  • BDV Boma disease virus
  • Another aspect of the invention presents novel BDV viral proteins gp18 and p57 and their respective recombinant proteins, recp18 and recp57. Also disclosed are their nucleotide and amino acid sequences, vectors encoding them, cells transfected by these vectors, and antibodies directed to these proteins.
  • Another aspect of the invention presents assays for detecting ligands which bind BDV proteins or their derivatives.
  • these assays are immunoassays for detecting antibodies to BDV protein or its derivatives.
  • the assays are useful for detecting: (1) BDV infection or related pathogenesis; and (2) neurologic and neuropsychiatric disease not due to BDV infection.
  • p40, p23 or gp18, and their synthetic versions or fragments are used in these assays.
  • the preferred immunoassays are enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) based on the use of recombinant viral proteins: recp40, recp23, and/or recp18, and/or the immunoreactive fragments of the foregoing, to detect ligands, such as antibodies, in the patient's biological sample, that are immunoreactive with these proteins.
  • ELISAs enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays
  • the assay can also be used to monitor the diseases by monitoring the titer of such ligands.
  • the titer of the ligands can also be prognosticative of the diseases.
  • Another aspect of the invention presents alternative methods for detecting the above diseases by detecting the hybridization of nucleotide sequences in a patient's biological sample with the nucleotide sequences coding for BDV protein or its derivatives.
  • Another aspect of the invention presents assay kits for the above diagnostic tests.
  • Another aspect of the invention presents vaccines against the above diseases.
  • Another aspect of the invention presents synthetic peptides, based on truncated BDV protein, useful for immunoassays for detecting antibodies to BDV or for raising antibodies for the therapeutic uses described in the next paragraph.
  • the method for obtaining these peptides are also presented.
  • Another aspect of the invention presents methods, using ligands or chemicals such as antibodies, capable of binding to BDV proteins or their derivatives, for treating: (1) BDV infection or related pathogenesis; and (2) neurologic and neuropsychiatric disease not due to BDV infection.
  • ligands or chemicals such as antibodies, capable of binding to BDV proteins or their derivatives, for treating: (1) BDV infection or related pathogenesis; and (2) neurologic and neuropsychiatric disease not due to BDV infection.
  • Examples of such antibodies are those specific to gp18 and p57.
  • the methods for producing the antibodies are also presented.
  • Another aspect of the invention presents a BDV-based viral vector useful for in vivo delivery of genes and chemicals to the nervous system. Also disclosed are: the cells transfected by the viral vector and cell lines derived therefrom, the in vitro harvesting of the gene product from such cells and cell lines, and the transplant of such cells into animals.
  • FIG. 1 presents the genomic organization and transcriptional map of BDV.
  • FIG. 2 shows the complete genomic sequence of BDV (strain V) in 5' to 3' cDNA with the deduced amino acid sequence shown below the cDNA.
  • FIG. 3 presents the organization of the BDV genome; (b) presents the coding potential of the genome.
  • FIG. 4 shows alignment of the p180 (also referred to as "pol") open reading frame (ORF) and negative-strand RNA virus L-polymerase amino acid sequences with PILEUP computer program (Sequence Analysis Software Package, Genetics Computer, Inc., Madison, Wisconsin). BDV sequence is indicated with double arrowheads.
  • Rhabdoviridae RaV, rabies virus; VSV, vesicular stomatitis virus; SYN, sonchus yellow net virus.
  • Paramyxoviridae MeV, measles virus; SeV, Sendai virus; NDV, Newcastle disease virus; RSV, respiratory syncytial virus.
  • Filoviridae MaV, Marburg virus.
  • FIG. 5 presents sequence analysis of BDV genomic termini.
  • FIG. 6 presents the map of BDV subgenomic RNAs relative to the viral antigenome.
  • FIG. 7 presents the sequence of ORF gp18.
  • FIG. 8 shows glycan determination of gp18.
  • Lanes 0, protein detection by mouse anti-gp18 serum; 1, ConA; 2, wheat germ agglutinin; 3, D. stramonium agglutinin; 4, BS-I; 5, BS-II; 6, G. nivalis agglutinin; 7, S. nigra agglutinin; 8, M. amrensis agglutinin; 9, peanut agglutinin.
  • Positions of molecular weight markers are shown in kilodaltons at the right.
  • FIG. 9 presents treatment of gp18 with buffer alone or endoglycosidase.
  • FIG. 10 presents in vitro transcription, translation, and cotranslational processing of gp18.
  • A Lanes: 1, pBDV-23 R ⁇ A; 2, pBDV-23 R ⁇ A plus microsomal membranes; 3, pBDV-gp18 R ⁇ A; 4, pBDV-gp18 RNA plus microsomal membranes; 5, pBDV-gp18 R ⁇ A plus microsomal membranes, incubated with endoglycosidases.
  • FIG. 11 presents Western blot analysis of native and recombinant proteins with monospecific antisera to recombinant proteins and sera from infected rats.
  • Lane 1 Lane 1, C6BDV lysate; lane 2, recp40; lane 3, recp23; lane 4, recp18; lane 5, C6 lysate; lane 6, recp40, recp23 and recp18. Lanes 1-4 were treated with serum from infected rat; lanes 5 and 6 were treated with serum from noninfected rat.
  • FIG. 12 presents ELISA of infected rat serum reacted with recp40. Circles, recp40 and serum from chronically infected rat; squares, recp40 and serum from noninfected rat; triangles, BSA and serum from chronically infected rat.
  • FIG. 13 presents timecourse for the appearance of antibodies to BDV-proteins.
  • FIG. 14 presents timecourse for the appearance of antibodies to BDV proteins in sera from individual rats after intranasal infection.
  • A Neutralization activity in sera from BDV-infected rats at three timepoints (5, 10 and 15 weeks post-infection).
  • B Plot of mean recp18 ELISA titers (open columns) with neutralization titers (hatched columns) at three time points (5, 10 and 15 weeks post-infection). Sera analyzed were the same as those in panel A.
  • C Timecourse for the appearance of antibodies to recp40, recp23, and gp18 by Western blot analysis.
  • FIG. 15 presents (A) Immunoprecipitation of gp18 with monoclonal antibodies (Mabs). Lanes: 1, serum from infected rat (15 week pi); 2, serum from noninfected rat; 3, MAb 14/29A5; 4, MAb 14/26B9; 5, MAb 14/8E1; 6, MAb 14/13E10; 7, MAb 14/18H7; 8, MAb 24/36F1 (MAb directed against the BDV 23 kDa protein, negative control); 9, no antibody. (B) MAbs were analyzed for binding to native gp18 in Western blot.
  • FIG. 16 presents neutralization profile of sera and MAbs.
  • A Serum from noninfected rat.
  • B serum from infected rat (15 week p.i., D2).
  • C MAb 14/13E10.
  • D MAb 14/29A5.
  • FIG. 17 presents precipitation of BDV with sera from infected rats.
  • A Lanes: 1, serum from infected rat, 15 week p.i.; 2, serum from infected rat, 5 week p.i.; 3, serum from infected rat, 15 week p.i., no BDV; 4, serum from infected rat, 15 week p.i., genome sense primer used for first strand cDNA synthesis.
  • B Precipitation of BDV by monospecific antisera to recp18 and MAbs to gp18. Lanes: 1, monospecific rat antisera to recp18; 2, MAb 14/13E10; 3, MAb 14/29A5. DNA markers (basepairs) are shown at the right.
  • FIG. 16 presents the cDNA of BDV polymerase.
  • V denotes the site of its intron which is located between nucleotide positions 2410 and 3703 in the figure.
  • 1-2 denotes that this is the second intron in the BDV genome.
  • FIG. 19 presents the partial cDNA genomic sequence for BDV strain HE/60.
  • FIG. 20 graphically presents in A) the immunoreaction of truncated recp23 protein fragments with sera from 7 human schizophrenics (SZ Human), 4 BDV infected horses (BD Horse) and 6 BDV infected rats (BD Rat); and in B) the truncated recp23 fragments.
  • FIG. 21 graphically presents in A) the immunoreaction of truncated unglycosylated recp18 protein fragments with sera from 7 human schizophrenics (SZ Human), 6 BDV infected rats (BD Rat) and 2 mice immunized with native gp18 (Mouse a gp18); and in B) the truncated unglycosylated recp18 fragments.
  • FIG. 22 graphically presents the overlapping 8-mer peptides, derived from p23, lined up diagonally from the amino (left) terminus to the carboxyl (right) terminus. Above the overlapping peptides are blocks indicating the immunoreactive regions of p23 and presenting the mapped epitopes and their sequences.
  • FIG. 23 graphically presents the overlapping 8-mer peptides, derived from unglycosylated recp18, lined up diagonally from the amino (left) terminus to the carboxyl (right) terminus. Above the overlapping peptides are blocks indicating the immunoreactive regions of unglycosylated gp18 and presenting the mapped epitopes and their sequences.
  • FIG. 24 graphically presents A) the SPOTS tests; B) the locations of immunoepitopes along the length of unglycosylated gp18 which are immunoreactive with the sera in the SPOTs tests of FIG. 24A. The sequences of the most immunoreactive epitopes are shown. The scale indicates by the darkness of the spots, the degree of immunoreaction. The lightest shade (Scale 1) indicates no detectable immunoreactivity; the darkest shade (Scale 4) indicates highest immunoreactivity.
  • FIG. 25 presents the predicted amino acid sequence and potential N-glycosylation sites of the BDV G-protein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
  • Table 1 identifies the sequence ID Nos. with their respective nucleotide and amino acid sequences.
  • BDV polymerase is also referred to as "pol” or "p180".
  • the present application discloses the complete BDV genomic nucleotide sequence, the locations on the genomic nucleotide sequence which encode the different BDV proteins, the sites of splicing and overlap (see FIGs. 1 and 2). Also disclosed are the novel nucleotide and amino acid sequences of BDV proteins gp18, pol and p57. The following Figures 1, 2, 19, and Table 1 summarize this information.
  • FIG. 1 shows the genomic organization and transcriptional map of BDV.
  • the BDV genome is shown as a solid line in 3' to 5' direction. Coding regions and their respective reading frames are represented as boxes at the top; the number above each upward vertical line indicates the nucleotide position of the first AUG codon in the respective ORF.
  • Transcription initiation sites and their nucleotide positions on the viral genome are represented by arrows pointing downstream. Transcription termination sites and splice sites are indicated by downward vertical lines. Dashed lines indicate that readthrough at termination sites T2 and T3 results in synthesis of longer RNAs terminating at T3 and T4, respectively.
  • RNA The 1.2 kb and 0.8 kb RNA have been shown to represent the mRNAs for p40 and p23, respectively. p23 could also be translated from the 3.5 kb RNA. Transcripts that are likely to represent mRNAs for gp18, p57 and pol are indicated. Note that gp18 can only be translated from RNAs containing intron 1. Splicing of intron 1 preserves the gp18 initiation codon but introduces a stop codon such that only the first 13 amino acids could be translated from the 2.7 (7.0) kb transcripts and the RNA or the 1.4 kb RNA serve as messages for the translation of BDV proteins.
  • FIG. 2 shows the complete genomic sequence of BDV
  • strain V in 5' to 3' cDNA.
  • the deduced amino acid sequences are shown for p40, p23, gp18, p57 and pol.
  • FIG. 19 presents the partial cDNA genomic sequence (also listed as SEQ ID No. 33) of BDV strain HE/ ⁇ 0. Position 1 to 2651 of this sequence corresponds to position 1397 through 4054 of the cDNA genomic sequence of BDV strain V.
  • the cDNA sequence of BDV strain HE/60 disclosed herein encodes part of the p23 and BDV polymerase proteins, and the complete gp18 and p57 proteins.
  • nucleotide sequence as used herein, unless otherwise modified, includes both ribonucleic acid (RNA) and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).
  • sequences in Table 1 include both native and synthetic sequences.
  • protein as used herein encompasses both native and synthetic polypeptide and peptide.
  • Synthetic protein includes recombinant and chemically synthesized protein.
  • gp18”, “p57”, and “pol” proteins include both their native and synthetic versions.
  • recp18”, “recp57” and “recpol” are recombinant proteins of "gp18", "p57”, and “pol” proteins, respectively.
  • the terms “p57” and “recp57” herein include both the predicted protein of about 57 kDa, and the glycoprotein of about 94 kDa (G-protein), further described below.
  • SEQ ID No. 19 presents the BDV viral genomic sequence as cDNA of BDV viral genomic RNA.
  • BDV genomic RNA is complementary to its cDNA that is shown in Figure 2.
  • the term "BDV genomic nucleotide sequence” thus includes both the full cDNA and RNA sequences of the BDV genome. Further, as used in this application and claims, the SEQ ID Nos.
  • sequences include: (1) the DNA sequences as disclosed, (2) the complementary nucleotide sequences (which may be RNA or DNA) to the disclosed sequences, (3) the corresponding RNA sequences to the listed D ⁇ A sequences wherein the Thymidine ("T") in the disclosed D ⁇ A sequences is replaced with Uracil ("U"), (4) nucleotide sequences wherein other nucleotides known in the art such as nucleotide analogs, replace those in the foregoing sequences, for example, 5-methyl-cytosine replacing cytosine, and (5) nucleotide sequences that are within a variance (with regard to the respective SEQ ID ⁇ os .
  • nucleotide sequences of at least about: 10%, preferably 28%, more preferably 30%, and most preferably 35%.
  • Kishi, M. , et al. "Sequence Variability of Boma Disease Virus Open Reading Frame II Found in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells", J. Virol , 70 (1) :635-640 (Jan. 1996), cloned, sequenced, and analyzed cD ⁇ A of BDV ORF-II which encodes p24, from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of three psychiatric patients. Fifteen clones were studied.
  • Intrapatient divergences of the BDV ORF-II nucleotide sequence were 4.2% to 7.3%, 4.8% to 7.3%, and 2.8% to 7.1% of the three patients, leading to differences of 7.7% to 14.5%, 10.3% to 17.1%, and 6.0% to 16.2%, respectively, in the deduced amino acid sequence for BDV p24.
  • Interpatient divergencies among the 15 clones were 5.9% to 12.7% at the nucleotide level and 12.8% to 28.2% at the amino acids level.
  • the nucleotide sequences of the 15 human BDV ORF-II cD ⁇ A clones differed from those of horse strains V and He/80-1 by 4.2% to 9.3%. This reference is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The above discussion would analogously apply to RNA sequences disclosed in this application.
  • nucleotide codons are redundant, also within the scope of this invention are equivalent nucleotide sequences which include: nucleotide sequences which code for the same proteins or equivalent proteins.
  • nucleotide sequences which encode substantially the same or functionally equivalent amino acid sequence may be used in the practice of the invention.
  • BDV genomic nucleotide sequence "p18”, “recp18”, “pol”, “recpol”, “p57”, “recp57”, as used in relation to nucleotide sequences are defined above, together with: (1) nucleotide sequences that are within a variance (with regard to the respective nucleotide sequences in Table 1) of at least about: 10%, preferably 26%, more preferably 30%, and most preferably 35% (see also the discussion of Kishi, M., et al. J.
  • nucleotide sequences that are capable of hybridizing to the coding sequences of the respective nucleotide sequences, under stringent hybridization conditions, (3) nucleotide sequences coding for gp18, recp18, p57, recp57, pol, and recpol proteins, and amino acid sequences of SEQ ID Nos. 6, 6, and 10 respectively; and (4) fragments of SEQ ID Nos.
  • the determinative biological characteristic/activity is the retention of at least one immunoepitope.
  • these proteins are immunoreactive with antibodies directed to BDV but not detectably immunoreactive with non-BDV specific antibodies found in a biological sample such as a serum sample.
  • the nucleotide sequences can be nucleotide probes of at least 10 nucleotides in length. Preferably, when used in a hybridization assay for BDV, these probes do not detectably hybridize to the nucleotide sequences of non-BDV organisms which are found in a biological sample such as a serum sample. Alternatively, the nucleotide sequences hybridize to at least 10 consecutive nucleotides in the coding sequences of the above listed nucleotide sequences.
  • the nucleotide sequences include a nucleotide sequence which encodes a protein containing at least 8; more preferably, 5 to 6; and most preferably, 4 amino acids.
  • the protein is specific to BDV or retain one or more biological functions of BDV.
  • biological functions are: BDV's ability to bind a particular cellular receptor, BDV's ability to target its host cells ⁇ e.g. cells and tissues of the nervous system, bone marrow, peripheral blood, mononuclear cells or brain), and BDV's effects on the functions of cells infected by it.
  • BDV's ability to bind a particular cellular receptor BDV's ability to target its host cells ⁇ e.g. cells and tissues of the nervous system, bone marrow, peripheral blood, mononuclear cells or brain
  • BDV's effects on the functions of cells infected by it e.g. cells and tissues of the nervous system, bone marrow, peripheral blood, mononuclear cells or brain
  • the discussion herein similarly applies to p23, recp23, p80, recp ⁇ 0 nucleotide sequences, and the cDNA nucleotide sequence of FIG. 19, e.g. in reference
  • gp18 protein variants containing amino acid sequences that are within a variance (with regard to the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID Nos. 6, 8, and 10, respectively) of at least about: 5%, preferably 2 ⁇ %, more preferably 30%, and most preferably 35% (see also the discussion of Kishi, M., et al. J. Virol.
  • these proteins when used in an immunoassay for BDV, are immunoreactive with antibodies directed to BDV but not detectably immunoreactive with non-BDV specific antibodies found in a biological sample such as a serum sample.
  • these proteins each contains at least 8; more preferably, 5 to 6; and most preferably, 4 amino acids.
  • the latter proteins are specific to BDV or retain one or more biological functions of BDV.
  • BDV's ability to bind a particular cellular receptor BDV's ability to target its host cells (e.g. cells and tissues of the nervous system, bone marrow, peripheral blood, mononuclear cells or brain), and BDV's effects on the functions of cells infected by it.
  • host cells e.g. cells and tissues of the nervous system, bone marrow, peripheral blood, mononuclear cells or brain
  • BDV's effects on the functions of cells infected by it e.g. cells and tissues of the nervous system, bone marrow, peripheral blood, mononuclear cells or brain
  • BDV BDV isotypes, strains, and BDV related viruses.
  • BDV proteins and their derivatives includes BDV proteins, fragments of BDV proteins, proteins containing immunoepitopes of BDV, variants and functional equivalents of the foregoing. gp18 and p57 are examples of BDV proteins. Preferably, the immunoepitope is specific to BDV.
  • the variants can result from, e.g. substitution, insertion, or deletion of the amino acid sequences shown in Table 1.
  • the derivatives of the proteins and their variants include fragments of these proteins and their immunogenic epitopes.
  • each of the fragments contains at least one immunogenic epitope of BDV.
  • the fragment is capable of being bound by polyclonal antibodies directed to BDV. In the case of antibodies which recognize linear epitopes, they generally bind to epitopes defined by about 3 to 10 amino acids.
  • each variant retains at least one immunoepitope of BDV.
  • the immunoepitope is specific to BDV.
  • Two amino acid sequences are functionally equivalent if they have substantially the same biological activities.
  • the proteins may be fused to other proteins, for example, signal sequence fusions may be employed in order to more expeditiously direct the secretion of the BDV protein.
  • the heterologous signal replaces the native BDV signal, and when the resulting fusion is recognized, i.e. processed and cleaved by the host cell, the BDV protein is secreted.
  • Signals are selected based on the intended host cell, and may include bacterial, yeast, insect, mammalian, and viral sequences.
  • the native BDV signal or the herpes gD glycoprotein signal is suitable for use in mammalian expression systems.
  • substitutional variants of the proteins disclosed herein are those in which at least one residue in the disclosed sequences has been removed and a different residue inserted in its place.
  • the amino acid change is conservative.
  • substitutions generally are made in accordance with the following Table 2.
  • Novel amino acid sequences as well as isosteric analogs (amino acid or otherwise), are included within the scope of this invention.
  • a variant typically is made by site specific mutagenesis of the encoding nucleic acid, expression of the variant nucleic acid in recombinant cell culture and, optionally, purification from the cell culture for example by immunoaffinity adsorption on a column to which are bound polyclonal antibodies directed against the original protein from which the variant is derived.
  • deletional variants are characterized by the removal of one or more amino acid residues from the original protein sequence. Typically, deletions are used to affect the original protein's biological activities. However, deletions which preserve the biological activity or immune cross- reactivity of the original protein are preferred.
  • Deletions of cysteine or other labile residues also may be desirable, for example in increasing the oxidative stability of the original protein.
  • Deletion or substitutions of potential proteolysis sites e.g. Arg Arg, is accomplished by deleting one of the basic residues or substituting one by glutaminyl or histidyl residues.
  • BDV protein so long as they retain at least one immunogenic epitope of BDV protein.
  • Modified proteins are also within the contemplation of this patent application. These modifications may be deliberate, e.g. , modifications obtained through site-directed mutagenesis, or may be accidental, e.g. , as those obtained through mutation of the hosts.
  • the precise chemical structure depends on a number of factors. As ionizable amino and carboxyl groups are present in the molecule, a particular protein may be obtained as an acidic or basic salt, or in neutral form. All such preparations which retain their activity when placed in suitable environmental conditions are included in the definition. Additionally, the primary amino acid sequence may be augmented by derivatization using sugar moieties (glycosylation) or by other supplementary molecules such as lipids, phosphate, acetyl groups and the like, more commonly by conjugation with saccharides. The primary amino acid structure may also aggregate to form complexes, most frequently dimers.
  • Individual amino acid residues in the chain may also be modified by oxidation, reduction, or other derivatization, and the protein may be cleaved to obtain fragments which retain activity. Such alterations which do not destroy activity do not remove the protein sequence from the definition.
  • the following discusses some of the modifications in further detail by way of example.
  • glycosylation variants are included within the scope of BDV. They include variants completely lacking in glycosylation (unglycosylated) and variants having at least one less glycosylated site than the native form
  • deglycosylated as well as variants in which the glycosylation has been changed. Included are deglycosylated and unglycosylated amino acid sequence variants, deglycosylated and unglycosylated BDV and gp18 having the native, unmodified amino acid sequence of BDV and gp18, and other glycosylation variants, e.g. of p57.
  • substitutional or deletional mutagenesis is employed to eliminate the N- or O-linked glycosylation sites of BDV or gp18, e.g. , an asparagine residue is deleted or substituted for by another basic residue such as lysine or histidine.
  • flanking residues making up the glycosylation site are substituted or deleted, even though the asparagine residues remain unchanged, in order to prevent glycosylation by eliminating the glycosylation recognition site.
  • Unglycosylated protein which has the amino acid sequence of the native protein is preferably produced in recombinant prokaryotic cell culture because prokaryotes are incapable of introducing glycosylation into polypeptides.
  • Glycosylation variants are produced by selecting appropriate host cells or by in vitro methods. Yeast, for example, introduce glycosylation which varies significantly from that of mammalian systems. Similarly, mammalian cells having a different species (e.g. hamster, murine, insect, porcine, bovine or ovine) or tissue origin (e.g.
  • lung, liver, lymphoid, mesenchymal or epidermal are routinely screened for the ability to introduce variant glycosylation as characterized for example by elevated levels of mannose or variant ratios of mannose, fucose, sialic acid, and other sugars typically found in mammalian glycoproteins.
  • In vitro processing of the proteins of the present invention typically is accomplished by enzymatic hydrolysis, e.g. endoglycosidase digestion.
  • Derivatization with bifunctional agents is useful for preparing intermolecular aggregates of BDV proteins and their derivatives with polypeptides as well as for cross-linking the protein and derivatives to a water insoluble support matrix or surface for use in the assay or affinity purification of its ligands.
  • a study of intrachain cross-links will provide direct information on conformational structure.
  • cross-linking agents include sulfhydryl reagents, 1,1-bis(diazoacetyl)-2-phenylethane, glutaraldehyde, N-hydroxysuccinimide esters, for example esters with 4-azidosalicylic acid, homobifunctional imidoesters including disuccinimidyl esters such as 3,3'-dithiobis (succinimidyl-propionate), and bifunctional maleimides such as bis-N-maleimido-1,8-octane.
  • Certain post-translational derivatizations are the result of the action of recombinant host cells on the expressed polypeptide. Glutaminyl and asparaginyl residues are frequently post-translationally deamidated to the corresponding glutamyl and aspartyl residues. Alternatively, these residues are deamidated under mildly acidic conditions. Either form of these residues falls within the scope of this invention.
  • post-translational modifications include hydroxylation of proline and lysine, phosphorylation of hydroxyl groups of seryl or threonyl residues, methylation of the ⁇ -amino groups of lysine, arginine, and histidine side chains ⁇ T.E. Creighton, Proteins: Structure and Molecular Properties , W.H. Freeman & Co., San Francisco, pp 79-86 (1983) ⁇ , acetylation of the N-terminal amine and, in some instances, amidation of the C-terminal carboxyl.
  • the claimed proteins are preferably produced using recombinant technologies.
  • the nucleotide e.g. , DNA or
  • RNA sequences which encode the desired polypeptides are amplified by use of e.g. the polymerase chain reaction in the case of DNA (hereinalso referred to as "PCR"), and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in the case of RNA.
  • Oligonucleotide sequences to be used as primers which can specifically bind to the ends of the regions of interest are synthesized.
  • the desired sequence is incorporated into an expression vector which is transformed into a host cell.
  • the nucleotide sequence is then expressed by the host cell to give the desired polypeptide which is harvested from the host cell.
  • Plant, bacterial, yeast, insect, viral and mammalian expression systems may be used. Vectors which may be used in these expression systems may contain fragments of plant, bacterial, yeast, insect, viral, and/or mammalian origins.
  • RNA encoding the proteins disclosed herein one needs only to conduct hybridization screening with labelled BDV nucleotide sequence (usually, greater than about 20, and ordinarily about 50bp) in order to detect clones which contain homologous sequences in the cDNA libraries derived from cells or tissues of a particular animal, followed by analyzing the clones by restriction enzyme analysis and nucleic acid sequencing to identify full-length clones.
  • the cell lines, cells and tissues are preferably from the nervous system, bone marrow, peripheral blood, mononuclear cells or brain of BDV infected animals. Examples of cells from the nervous system are: neurons, oligodendrocytes and astrocytes.
  • the primers shown in Examples 1 to 4 and/or the methods shown therein may also be used.
  • the techniques shown in this section are also useful for identifying and sequencing various isotypes and strains of BDV and BDV related viruses.
  • the present invention discloses the nucleotide sequences of two strains of BDV; different strains of BDV may exist or arise due to mutation as in the case of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) which constantly mutates and of which different strains are constantly being discovered.
  • HAV human immunodeficiency virus
  • BDV BDV related viruses
  • the related pathogenesis include: (1) diseases caused by BDV; (2) opportunistic or attendant diseases arising from BDV infection; and (3) diseases caused by BDV related viruses.
  • the BDV related viruses would be nonsegmented, negative-stranded, neurotropic, post transcriptionally modified (spliced) viruses which share some homology with BDV nucleotide or amino acid sequences. Patients infected by the BDV related viruses would manifest clinical symptoms similar to BDV infected patients, or to that of neurologic or neuropsychiatric diseases.
  • DNA or RNA encoding various BDV isotypes and strains, and BDV related viruses can be similarly obtained by probing libraries from cells and tissues, especially cells of the nervous system, of animals exhibiting clinical symptoms of BDV infection, neurologic or neuropsychiatric disease; or animals that have been purposely infected with BDV strains, isotypes or BDV related viruses, such as shown in Example 2.
  • primers based on the sequence may be used. The methods shown in Examples 1 and 2, and the primers shown therein may also be used to obtain the genomic nucleotide sequences.
  • prokaryotes are used for cloning of DNA sequences in constructing the vectors useful in the invention.
  • E. coli K12 strain 294 ATCC No. 31446
  • Other microbial strains which may be used include E. coli B and E. coli X1776 (ATCC No. 31537). These examples are illustrative rather than limiting.
  • in vitro methods of cloning e.g. polymerase chain reaction, are suitable.
  • the proteins of this invention may be expressed directly in recombinant cell culture as an N-terminal methionyl analogue, or as a fusion with a polypeptide heterologous to the hybrid/portion, preferably a signal sequence or other polypeptide having a specific cleavage site at the N-terminus of the hybrid/portion.
  • a polypeptide heterologous to the hybrid/portion preferably a signal sequence or other polypeptide having a specific cleavage site at the N-terminus of the hybrid/portion.
  • the native BDV signal is employed with hosts that recognize that signal.
  • the host signal peptidase is capable of cleaving a fusion of the leader polypeptide fused at its C-terminus to the desired mature BDV protein.
  • the signal is substituted by a prokaryotic signal selected, for example, from the group of the alkaline phosphatase, penicillinase, lpp or heat stable enterotoxin II leaders.
  • a prokaryotic signal selected, for example, from the group of the alkaline phosphatase, penicillinase, lpp or heat stable enterotoxin II leaders.
  • yeast secretion the BDV signal may be substituted by the yeast invertase, alpha factor or acid phosphatase leaders.
  • the native signal is satisfactory for mammalian BDV, although other mammalian secretory protein signals are suitable, as are viral secretory leaders, for example the herpes simplex gD signal.
  • the proteins of the present invention may be expressed in any host cell, but preferably are synthesized in mammalian hosts. However, host cells from prokaryotes, fungi, yeast, insects and the like are also are used for expression. Exemplary prokaryotes are the strains suitable for cloning as well as E. coli W3110 (F- ⁇ -A-prototrophic, ATTC No. 27325), other enterobacteriaceae such as Serratia marcescans, bacilli and various pseudomonads.
  • Expression hosts typically are transformed with DNA encoding the proteins of the present invention which has been ligated into an expression vector. Such vectors ordinarily carry a replication origin (although this is not necessary where chromosomal integration will occur). Expression vectors also include marker sequences which are capable of providing phenotypic selection in transformed cells, as will be discussed further below.
  • E. coli is typically transformed using pBR322, a plasmid derived from an E. coli species ⁇ Bolivar, et al . , Gene 2:95 (1977) ⁇ .
  • pBR322 contains genes for ampicillin and tetracycline resistance and thus provides easy means for identifying transformed cells, whether for purposes of cloning or expression.
  • Expression vectors also optimally will contain sequences which are useful for the control of transcription and translation, e.g. , promoters and Shine-Dalgamo sequences (for prokaryotes) or promoters and enhancers (for mammalian cells).
  • the promoters may be, but need not be, inducible; even powerful constitutive promoters such as the CMV promoter for mammalian hosts may produce BDV proteins without host cell toxicity. While it is conceivable that expression vectors need not contain any expression control, replicative sequences or selection genes, their absence may hamper the identification of transformants and the achievement of high level peptide expression.
  • Promoters suitable for use with prokaryotic hosts illustratively include the ⁇ -lactamase and lactose promoter systems ⁇ Chang et al. , Nature 275:615 (1978); and
  • Promoters for use in bacterial systems also will contain a Shine-Dalgamo (S.D.) sequence operably linked to the DNA encoding the proteins of the present invention
  • eukaryotic microbes such as yeast or filamentous fungi are satisfactory.
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the most commonly used eukaryotic microorganism, although a number of other strains are commonly available.
  • the plasmid YRp7 is a satisfactory expression vector in yeast ⁇ Stinchcomb, et al , Nature 282:39 (1979); Kingsman et al , Gene 7:141 (1979); Tschemper et al , Gene 10:157 (1980) ⁇ .
  • This plasmid already contains the trpl gene which provides a selection marker for a mutant strain of yeast lacking the ability to grow in tryptophan, for example ATCC no.
  • trpl lesion as a characteristic of the yeast host cell genome then provides an effective environment for detecting transformation by growth in the absence of tryptophan.
  • viral expression vectors such as retroviral vectors, baculoviral vectors and Semliki Forest viral vectors are used. The expression hosts of these vectors are known in the art.
  • Suitable promoting sequences for use with yeast hosts include the promoters for 3-phosphoglycerate kinase ⁇ Hitzeman et al , J. Biol Chem. 255:2073 (1980) ⁇ or other glycolytic enzymes ⁇ Hess et al., J. Adv. Enzyme Reg.
  • yeast promoters which are inducible promoters having the additional advantage of transcription controlled by growth conditions., are the promoter regions for alcohol dehydrogenase 2, isocytochrome C, acid phosphatase, degradative enzymes associated with nitrogen metabolism, metallothionein, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydragenase, and enzymes responsible for maltose and galactose utilization. Suitable vectors and promoters for use in yeast expression are further described in R. Hitzeman et al , European Patent Publication No. 73,657A.
  • Expression control sequences are known for eukaryotes. Virtually all eukaryotic genes have an AT- rich region located approximately 25 to 30 bases upstream from the site where transcription is initiated. Another sequence found 70 to 80 bases upstream from the start of transcription of many genes is a CXCAAT region where X may be any nucleotide. At the 3' end of most eukaryotic genes is an AATAAA sequence which may be the signal for addition of the poly A tail to the 3' end of the coding sequence. All of these sequences may be inserted into mammalian expression vectors.
  • Suitable promoters for controlling transcription from vectors in mammalian host cells are readily obtained from various sources, for example, the genomes of viruses such as polyoma virus, SV40, adenovirus, MMV (steroid inducible) , retroviruses (e.g. the LTR of BDV) , hepatitis-B virus and most preferably cytomegalovirus, or from heterologous mammalian promoters, e.g. the beta actin promoter.
  • the early and late promoters of SV40 are conveniently obtained as an SV40 restriction fragment which also contains the SV40 viral origin of replication. ⁇ Fiers et al, Nature 273:113 (1978) ⁇ .
  • the immediate early promoter of the human cytomegalovirus is conventionally obtained as a HindIII E restriction fragment. ⁇ Greenaway, P.J. et al, Gene 18:355-360 (1982) ⁇ .
  • Enhancers are cis-acting elements of DNA, usually about from 10-300bp, that act on a promoter to increase its transcription. Enhancers are relatively orientation and position independent having been found 5' ⁇ Laimins et al , Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 78:993 (1961) ⁇ and 3' ⁇ Lusky, M.L., et al , Mol Cell Bio. 3:1108 (1963) ⁇ to the transcription unit, within an intron ⁇ Banerji, J.L.
  • enhancer sequences are now known from mammalian genes (globin, elastase, albumin, ⁇ -fetoprotein and insulin). Typically, however, one will use an enhancer from a eukaryotic cell virus. Examples include the SV40 enhancer on the late side of the replication origin (bp 100-270), the cytomegalovirus early promoter enhancer, the polyoma enhancer on the late side of the replication origin, and adenovirus enhancers.
  • Expression vectors used in eukaryotic host cells will also contain sequences necessary for the termination of transcription which may affect mRNA expression. These regions are transcribed as polyadenylated segments in the untranslated portion of the mR ⁇ A. The 3' untranslated regions also include transcription termination sites.
  • Selection genes may contain a selection gene, also termed a selectable marker.
  • selectable markers for mammalian cells are dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) , thymidine kinase (TK) or neomycin. When such selectable markers are successfully transferred into a mammalian host cell, the transformed mammalian host cell is able to survive if placed under selective pressure.
  • DHFR dihydrofolate reductase
  • TK thymidine kinase
  • neomycin thymidine kinaseomycin
  • These cells lack the ability to grow without the addition of such nutrients as thymidine or hypoxanthine. Because these cells lack certain genes necessary for a complete nucleotide synthesis pathway, they cannot survive unless the missing nucleotides are provided in a supplemented media.
  • An alternative to supplementing the media is to introduce an intact DHFR or TK gene into calls lacking the respective genes, thus altering their growth requirements. Individual cells which were not transformed with the DHFR or TK gene will not be capable of survival in non-supplemented media.
  • the second category of selective regimes is dominant selection which refers to a selection scheme used in any cell type and does not require the use of a mutant cell line. These schemes typically use a drug to arrest growth of a host cell. Those cells which are successfully transformed with a heterologous gene express a protein conferring drug resistance and thus survive the selection regimen. Examples of such dominant selection use the drugs neomycin ⁇ Southern et al. , J. Molec. Appl. Genet. 1:327 (1982) ⁇ , mycophenolic acid ⁇ Mulligan et al., Science
  • Amplification refers to the increase or replication of an isolated region within a cell's chromosomal DNA. Amplification is achieved using a selection agent, e.g. methotrexate (MTX) which inactivates DHFR. Amplification or the making of successive copies of the DHFR gene results in greater amounts of DHFR being produced in the face of greater amounts of MTX. Amplification pressure is applied notwithstanding the presence of endogenous DHFR, by adding ever greater amounts of MTX to the media. Amplification of a desired gene can be achieved by cotransfecting a mammalian host cell with a plasmid having a DNA encoding a desired protein and the DHFR or amplification gene permitting cointegration.
  • MTX methotrexate
  • Suitable eukaryotic host cells for expressing the proteins include monkey kidney CV1 line transformed by SV40 (COS-7, ATCC CRL 1651) ; human embryonic kidney line
  • Hep G2, HB 8065 mouse mammary tumor (MMT 060562, ATCC
  • Plasmids containing the desired coding and control sequences employ standard ligation techniques. Isolated plasmids or DNA fragments are cleaved, tailored, and religated in the form desired to form the plasmids required.
  • the ligation mixtures are used to transform E. coli K12 strain 294 (ATCC 31446) and successful transformants selected by ampicillin or tetracycline resistance where appropriate. Plasmids from the transformants are prepared, analyzed by restriction and/or sequenced by the method of Messing et al , Nucleic Acids Res. 9:309 (1981) or by the method of Sanger et al , Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., (USA), 74:5463 (1977).
  • Host cells are transformed with the expression vectors of this invention and cultured in conventional nutrient media modified as appropriate for inducing promoters, selecting transformants or amplifying the genes encoding the desired sequences.
  • the culture conditions such as temperature, pH and the like, are those previously used with the host cell selected for expression, and will be apparent to the ordinarily skilled artisan.
  • the host cells referred to in this disclosure encompass cells in in vitro culture as well as cells which are within a host animal.
  • Another aspect of the present invention presents assays for detecting ligands, e.g. , in the biological samples of a test organism, which bind BDV protein(s) or derivatives thereof. These assays are useful as diagnostic tests for: (1) infection by BDV or related pathogenesis; and (2) neurologic and neuropsychiatric disease not due to BDV infection.
  • the preferred assays are immunoassays which detect antibodies to BDV proteins or its derivatives that are antigenic (herein referred to as "BDV antigen").
  • the test organism can be human or other animals, such as cats, fowls, ostriches, and horses.
  • the biological samples may be biological fluids such as whole blood, serum, plasma, cerebral spinal fluid, or synovial fluid.
  • BDV proteins or its derivatives are used to detect the ligand by binding to it.
  • the ligand is an antibody directed to the polypeptides, and BDV antigens are used to detect the antibody.
  • the assay can be used to detect antibodies against BDV in biological fluids.
  • antibodies to BDV protein (s) or their derivatives can be used to screen for BDV proteins, e.g. , in the biological samples of a test organism.
  • the alternative detection of antibodies or antigen applies to each of the assay formats described below.
  • an example of the assay is an enzyme immunoassay.
  • these polypeptides serve as antigens and are attached to a solid phase and then incubated with patient sera.
  • Human serum or plasma is preferably diluted in a sample diluent before incubation. If antibodies to BDV are present in the sample they will form an antigen-antibody complex with the polypeptides and become affixed to the solid phase.
  • the antigen-antibody complex After the antigen-antibody complex has formed, unbound materials and reagents are removed by washing the solid phase and the antigen-antibody complex is reacted with a solution containing labelled antibodies directed against the first type of antibody.
  • the labelled antibody can be horseradish peroxidase-labeled goat antibody. This peroxidase labelled antibody then binds to the antigen-antibody complex already affixed to the solid phase.
  • the horseradish peroxidase is contacted with o-phenylenediamine and hydrogen peroxide which results in a yellow-orange color. The intensity of the color is proportional to the amount of antibody which initially binds to the polypeptide affixed to the solid phase.
  • Another assay format provides for an antibody- capture assay in which anti-immunoglobulin antibody on the solid phase captures the patient's antibody, which is then reacted with the BDV antigen.
  • the application of this format is similar to the serological assay of Lyme disease taught in Berardi et al., J. Infect. Dis. 158:754-760 (1988). If antibody to BDV is present, it captures the BDV antigen, and the bound BDV antigen is detected by means of labelled polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies directed against the BDV antigen.
  • the antibody-capture assay is particularly useful for and can increase the sensitivity of detection of IgM and IgG to BDV antigens.
  • the fluid sample is first contacted with a solid support containing a bound antibody capable of binding the mu-chain of IgM or the gamma-chain of IgG antibodies.
  • Specific antibody is detected by reacting this with the BDV antigens followed by non-human antibody to the BDV antigens.
  • the non-human antibody is generally labelled for detection. It is believed that this antibody-capture immunoassay format will have increased sensitivity, especially for IgM. Alternatively, one can forego the non-human antibody and instead label the BDV antigens for direct detection.
  • Another assay format provides for an immunodot assay for identifying the presence of an antibody that is immunologically reactive with specific BDV antigens by contacting a sample with the BDV antigens bound to a solid support under conditions suitable for complexing the antibody with the BDV antigens and detecting the antibody-antigen complex by reacting the complex.
  • Suitable methods and reagents for detecting an antibody-antigen complex in an assay of the present invention are commercially available or known in the relevant art.
  • the detector antibodies or polypeptides may be labelled with enzymatic, radioisotopic, fluorescent, luminescent, or chemiluminescent label. These labels may be used in hapten-labelled antihapten detection systems according to known procedures, for example, a biotin-labelled antibiotin system may be used to detect an antibody- antigen complex.
  • Solid support materials may include cellulose materials, such as paper and nitrocellulose; natural and synthetic polymeric materials, such as polyacrylamide, polystyrene, and cotton; porous gels such as silica gel, agarose, dextran and gelatin; and inorganic materials such as deactivated alumina, magnesium sulfate and glass.
  • Suitable solid support materials may be used in assays in a variety of well known physical configurations, including microtiter wells, test tubes, beads, strips, membranes, and microparticles.
  • a preferred solid support for a non- immunodot assay is a polystyrene microwell, polystyrene beads, or polystyrene microparticles.
  • a preferred solid support for an immunodot assay is nitrocellulose or nylon membrane.
  • the invention presents an ELISA which is a rapid, sensitive, and inexpensive diagnostic test.
  • the preferred ELISAs are based on recombinant BDV proteins recp40, recp23, and recp18. These assays are more sensitive and rapid than prior art methods employed for serologic diagnosis of infection, such as Western blot, indirect immunofluorescent test or immunoprecipitation.
  • Examples of the neurologic and neuropsychiatric diseases that can be diagnosed include diseases of the nervous system such as schizophrenia, depressive disorders (e.g. , bipolar depression), multiple sclerosis and AIDS-related encephalopathy.
  • diseases of the nervous system such as schizophrenia, depressive disorders (e.g. , bipolar depression), multiple sclerosis and AIDS-related encephalopathy.
  • the finding is based on applicants' analysis of the art. Although the virus has not been recovered from human subjects, antibodies reactive with BDV proteins have been found in patients with bipolar depression, schizophrenia, or AIDS-related encephalopathy ⁇ Bode, L., et al., Arch. Virol. Suppl. , 7:159-167 (1993); Bode, L., et al., Lancet, ii:689 (1966) and Rott, R., et al., Science 228:755-756 (1985) ⁇ .
  • BDV has a unique tropism for specific brain regions. Viral nucleic acids and disease-specific proteins have been found in highest concentrations in the hippocampus and limbic circuits, prefrontal and cingulate cortices, and brainstem nuclei ⁇ Carbone, K., et al., J. Neuropathol Exp. Neurol, 50:205-214 (1991); Ludwig, H. , et al., Prog. Med.
  • BDV proteins Three BDV proteins, p40, p23 and gp18 (disclosed in Example 2 below) have been identified in infected cells and tissues ⁇ Ludwig, H., et al., Prog. Med. Virol 35:107-151
  • the assay can also be used to monitor the diseases by monitoring the titer of such ligands.
  • the titer of the ligands, and the specific viral proteins that it is immunoreactive with, can also be prognosticative of the diseases.
  • an application of this invention may involve contacting the test subject's biological sample, such as serum, with a panel consisting of different immunogenic fragments of BDV protein or its derivatives. These proteins may be synthetic or native proteins, though recombinant proteins are preferred. Such a panel may consist of, for example, recp23, recp40, recp57, recpol and recp18. If the serum is immunoreactive with at least one of the fragments, it indicates that the test subject may either be suffering from (1) BDV or related pathogenesis; or (2) neurologic and neuropsychiatric disease not due to BDV infection. Further, given a fixed amount of sample tested, the amount (i.e.
  • the assay may also be used to monitor the progress of the disease. In particular, if the test subject is undergoing treatment for the disease, the assay may be used to monitor the efficacy of the drug and treatment regimen. Such monitoring may involve assaying for the ligand titer and/or the specific BDV immunogenic epitopes which the ligand binds to.
  • Oligonucleotides that are unique, or relatively unique to BDV in a test sample, are useful for diagnosing BDV infections.
  • Nucleotide hybridization assay may be used, whereby nucleic acids from a patient's biological sample are contacted to the primers or BDV restriction fragments under hybridization condition, and the hybridization products are detected. This method could be used to detect viral genomic RNA or mRNA.
  • Conventional Western or Northern Blot analysis, RT-PCR or PCR and ligase chain reaction (LCR) may be used as the basis of the assay, these techniques are known to those skilled in the art. PCR and LCR techniques are widely available in the art. For example, the basic PCR techniques are described in United States Patent Nos.
  • these probes can be identified by comparing this sequence with the sequences of other organisms which may contaminate a test sample. Such comparison can be conducted as described in Example 1 below or using methods known in the art.
  • the probes preferably contain at least 10 contiguous nucleotides or at least 30 contiguous nucleotides with at least 60% homology along the length of the BDV nucleotide sequence being compared. Examples of such probes and methods for conducting the PCR for detection are as described in Examples 1 and 2.
  • the present invention also encompasses immunoassay kits containing BDV antigen (s), preferably each antigen per container, in a concentration suitable for use in immunoassay.
  • BDV antigens preferably each antigen per container, in a concentration suitable for use in immunoassay.
  • the BDV antigens may be bound to a solid support and where needed, the kits may include sample preparation reagents, wash reagents, detection reagents and signal producing reagents.
  • kits for nucleotide hybridization assays which include probes which are specific for BDV or its derivatives.
  • the kits may also include sample preparation reagents, wash reagents, detection reagents and signal producing reagents.
  • Another aspect of the invention presents methods, using antibodies directed to BDV proteins or derivatives, for treating: (1) BDV infection or related pathogenesis; and (2) neurologic and neuropsychiatric disease not due to BDV infection.
  • BDV infection or related pathogenesis examples of such antibodies are those specific to gp18 and p57.
  • the antibodies may be administered using methods known in the art. Preferably, this involves passive administration of these antibodies, such as those described in Example 4.
  • Peptides Useful For Diagnostics and Therapeutics are those described in Example 4.
  • Another aspect of the invention presents peptides e.g. the truncated fragments and peptides disclosed in "EXAMPLE 5", below, containing at least one BDV immunoepitope.
  • These peptides can be used in diagnostic assays to detect the presence of a patient's antibodies agaisnt BDV.
  • the peptides are useful for the assays described in the section: "Diagnostic. Prognostic, and Monitoring Uses of BDV proteins and their derivatives".
  • recp40, recp23, and recp18 have proved useful for detecting BDV infections.
  • the epitopes of these recombinant proteins can be mapped, and smaller peptides containing these epitopes and routinely tested for their immunoreactivity with antibodies to BDV, e.g. using the ELISA method shown in Example 3.
  • the above peptides can also be used to raise antibodies that may serve as therapeutics against BDV infections such as shown in Example 4 and as described in the section: "Therapeutic Uses of Antibodies Directed to BDV proteins and Their Derivatives". Examples of methods for synthesizing peptide fragments are described in Stuart and Young in “Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis", 2nd ed., Pierce Chemical Co. (1984). It is contemplated that antibodies which precipitate BDV viral particles would be useful for therapeutic uses. In particular, these antibodies are raised against proteins, and their fragments, expressed on the surface of BDV.
  • antibodies against gp18, p57 and their fragments, especially antibodies that precipitate BDV viral proteins would be useful for treating or preventing the disease (1) BDV infection or related pathogenesis; and (2) neurologic and neuropsychiatric disease not due to BDV infection.
  • fragments of BDV proteins can be made starting from either end of their C-termini and NH 2 -termini.
  • these fragments can be tested according to the ELISA method shown in Example 3 against, e.g. sera from horses, rats, or human patients infected with BDV.
  • the fragments that react with the sera would be useful for detecting the disease and would be useful for raising therapeutic antibodies to treat the disease. Since different animals may react to different epitopes of BDV proteins, one may even tailor the screening test by using the serum from the same species of animal for which one seeks to develop an assay or therapeutic.
  • the sera tested will be preferably that from human patients.
  • the sera tested will be preferably that from human patients.
  • the antibodies which are immunoreactive with BDV protein may also be found in the sera of patients with neurologic and neuropsychiatric disease not necessarily due to BDV infection, the above peptides and antibodies raised thereto may also find usefulness in diagnosing, monitoring and treating these patients. Additionally, these peptides may be identified by their immunoreactivity with sera from patients suffering from neurologic and neuropsychiatric disease not due to BDV infection.
  • the disease, patient sera to be tested, the diagnostic, monitoring and therapeutic uses are not limited to BDV, and include (1) BDV infection or related pathogenesis; and (2) neurologic and neuropsychiatric disease not due to BDV infection.
  • BDV infection or related pathogenesis and (2) neurologic and neuropsychiatric disease not due to BDV infection.
  • therapeutic ligands or chemicals which bind these peptides are tested for their therapeutic effect against the above diseases.
  • Other ligands or chemicals which bind the therapeutic ligands or chemicals can be tested for their ability to bind patients' antisera or antibodies and are thus useful as diagnostics for the diseases.
  • the above peptides and antibodies are also respectively tested for their crossreactivity with antibodies raised by and proteins from organisms unrelated to the above diseases but commonly found in the test sample (e.g.
  • Peptides and antibodies that are highly non-specific are preferably not used.
  • Peptides and antibodies that are highly non-specific are preferably not used.
  • the fragments that are unique, or relatively so, to BDV are then chosen for further screening as described above, e.g. for immunoreactivity with patient's test sample. These comparison can also be done on the nucleotide sequence level.
  • antibodies herein include antigen binding fragments of the immunoglobulins. Examples of these fragments are Fab, F(ab')2 and Fv. Such fragments can be produced by known methods. Unless otherwise indicated, antibodies herein also include: polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies, monospecific antibodies, and antisera which includes monospecific antisera.
  • Antibodies to BDV proteins and their derivatives can be produced using standard procedures known in the art. For example, antibodies can be produced by inoculating a host animal such as a rabbit, rat, goat, mouse, etc., with BDV proteins and their derivatives. Before inoculation, the polypeptides or fragments may be first conjugated with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) or bovine serum albumin (BSA). After an appropriate time period for the animal to produce antibodies to the polypeptides or fragments, the anti-serum of the animal is collected and the polyclonal antibodies separated from the anti-serum using techniques known in the art.
  • KLH keyhole limpet hemocyanin
  • BSA bovine serum albumin
  • Monoclonal antibodies can be produced by the method described in Kohler and Milstein (Nature , 256:495-497, 1975) by immortalizing spleen cells from an animal inoculated with the polypeptides or fragments thereof.
  • the immortalization of the spleen cell is usually conducted by fusing the cell with an immortal cell line, for example, a myeloma cell line, of the same or different species as the inoculated animal.
  • the immortalized fused cell can then be cloned and the cell screened for production of the desired antibody.
  • the antibodies may also be recombinant monoclonal antibodies produced according to the methods disclosed in Reading, United States Patent No. 4,474,693, or Cabilly et al., United States Patent No. 4,816,567.
  • the antibodies may also be chemically constructed according to the method disclosed in Segel et al., United States Patent No. 4,676,980.
  • human antibodies may be used and may prove to be preferable. The latter is especially so if the antibodies are used as therapeutics for humans, as there would be less immunorejection from the human patients receiving these antibodies.
  • Such antibodies can be obtained by using human hybridomas ⁇ Cote et al., Monoclonal Antibodies and Cancer Therapy, Alan R. Liss, p. 77 (1985) ⁇ .
  • techniques developed for the production of chimeric antibodies ⁇ Morrison et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 81:6851 (1984); Neuberger et al.,
  • BDV sequences, their mutagenized sequences or fragments thereof may be administered, e.g. by direct injection, or incorporated into a vector and administered e.g. by direct injection, into patients.
  • fragments are the truncated fragments and peptides disclosed in "EXAMPLE 5", below.
  • the injections may be by means of a gene gun.
  • gp18, p57, pol, and proteins produced by the mutagenized or fragmented sequences may also serve as vaccines.
  • Proteinaceous vaccines may be delivered orally, intravenously, intraperitoneally, or intramuscularly.
  • the vaccine may also be contained in a physiologically compatible solution.
  • Another aspect of the invention presents: (A) a
  • BDV-mediated gene transfer for the incorporation and expression of eukaryotic or prokaryotic foreign genes into another eukaryotic or prokaryotic host; and (B) an in vitro BDV-mediated delivery of gene(s) or chemical(s) to a target cell.
  • one or more desired genes are inserted into the BDV viral vector.
  • the desired gene transfer can be achieved through in vitro transfection of a cell or cell line by the resulting BDV viral vector.
  • the transfected cell or cell line thus expresses the gene(s) of interest and the expression product(s) are harvested.
  • the transfected cell or cell line is later transplanted into a host, e.g. an animal such as a human, in need of the gene product(s).
  • the gene(s) is expressed in vivo .
  • the generation of infectious non-segmented, neurotropic, negative-stranded RNA virus entirely from cloned cDNA has been described in the case of rabies virus ⁇ Schnell, M.
  • the insertion of foreign gene(s) into the BDV viral vector is based on prior art teachings for other viral vectors, which may include insertion of promoters or regulators to control expression of the foreign gene(s).
  • the transfection and gene therapy is similarly based on prior art teaching for viral vectors.
  • Method B utilizes the unique tropism of BDV for specific regions and cells of the nervous systems, e.g. neural cells.
  • BDV vector can be used for in vivo delivery of chemicals or desired genes to these regions.
  • infectious recombinant BDV containing the gene of interest can be used to infect the specific target cells of BDV in a host animal.
  • the host can be a human suffering from deficiency, lack of, or a malfunctioning of the gene product.
  • the general gene therapy methods can be based on prior art teaching e.g. the references cited for Method A, such as WO 91/12329.
  • these genes can be those responsible for the survival, proliferation, and proper functioning of the nervous system.
  • the inserted gene(s) may supplement or replace the dysfuntional gene(s) in these patients to provide gene product(s) necessary for continued survival and proliferation of these cells.
  • the inserted genes include genes coding for: neurotransmitters, cytokines, growth factors, receptors for the foregoing, enzymes for activation of therapeutic drugs administered to the patients.
  • the viral vector may contain a nucleotide sequence coding for a toxin. These vectors would infect the host's cells in vivo, express the toxin and kill the infected cells.
  • the targeted cells are preferably neoplastic cells, or cells infected by or harboring pathogenic organisms.
  • the vector is preferably further designed to selectively target these cells over normal cells.
  • One means to target the desired cells is by localized injection of the recombinant virus, containing the desired gene, near the target of interest.
  • the vector or recombinant virus may be delivered peripherally, i.e. into subcutaneous tissue, peripheral nerve, or intramuscularly. The neurotropism of the recombinant virus allows it to migrate towards cells of the nervous system to transfect or infect them.
  • the BDV viral vector is an especially good vehicle for gene therapy and in vivo chemical delivery. It has several advantages over the viral vectors known in the art, the most common of which are retroviral vectors. Retroviral vectors require replication of its host cells for transfection. Therefore, retroviral vectors can only be used with dividing/mitotic cells. In contrast, BDV vectors are autonomous, self-replicating vectors and thus can transfect both dividing and non-dividing cells. Thus, BDV is particularly effective for transfecting nerve cells that normally do not divide and for which BDV is tropic.
  • BDV does not have a latent stage in its lifecycle, after transfecting a host cell. It thus will continue to express the desired gene once it has transfected a cell. This is unlike some viral vectors currently used in the art, such as the herpes viral vector that may enter a latent stage after transfection and thus not express the desired gene product in the transfected cell. BDV is also unique in that it is a slow growing virus and is not lytic. Thus, chances of the virus lysing and killing the host cells are nonexistent.
  • the BDV viral vectors may be made infective but replication-defective, rendering them useful vectors which are unable to produce infective virus, following introduction into a cell.
  • a nucleocapsid containing BDV genomic RNA is required, from which primary transcription of mR ⁇ As and ensuing autonomous and regulated expression of all BDV proteins occurs.
  • the host cell should preferably be devoid of infectious helper virus which may assist in replication of the BDV.
  • BDV does not cause disease in and of itself.
  • the deleterious effect of BDV infection is actually caused by the host's immune- mediated rejection of BDV and BDV antigen expressed on infected cells.
  • the rejection involves cellular immune response which activates the host's effector lymphocytes which then kill the transfected cells.
  • Antibodies appear not to be as important in the host's immune response.
  • one means to avoid Boma disease is to interfere with, avoid, or suppress the host's ability to recognize or mount an immune response to BDV infected cells .
  • MHC major histocompatibility complex
  • BDV proteins foreign antigen expressed on the host cell's surface.
  • MHC major histocompatibility complex
  • BDV proteins foreign antigen
  • mRNA MHC mRNA MHC
  • Proteins p40, p23 and gp18 have been identified in infected cells and tissues: p40 and p23 are expressed at high levels in vitro and in vivo and are found in the nucleus and cytoplasm of infected cells ⁇ Bause-Niedrig, I., M. et al., Vet. Immunol Immunopathol . , 31:361-369 (1992) ⁇ .
  • gp 18 is a membrane- associated glycoprotein that is expressed at lower levels. gp18 was characterized in Example 2 below.
  • Figure 1 of the latter paper incorporated the correct genomic organization and transcription map described in Example 1 of this application.
  • a later minireview which compares the sequence differences between the above Cubitt, et al.'s genomic sequence and the sequence described in Example 1 below concludes that the differences seem most likely due to cloning and/or seguencing errors (of Cubitt et al.'s) rather than natural differences between the nucleotide sequences of different strains.
  • Schneeman, A., et al. to be published in Virology, 209 (1995); a co-author of the paper is Dr. Robert A. Lamb, the editor-in-chief of Virology and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. Dr. Lamb was not a collaborator in the work described in Example 1 below..
  • the 8,910 nucleotide BDV viral genome was cloned and sequenced using RNA from BDV particles.
  • the viral genome has complementary 3' and 5' termini and contains antisense information for five open reading frames.
  • Homology to Filo-, Paramyxo- and Rhabdoviridae is found in both cistronic and extracistronic regions.
  • Northern analysis indicates that the virus transcribes mono- and polycistronic RNAs and uses termination/polyadenylation signals reminiscent of those observed in other negative-strand RNA viruses.
  • BDV is likely to represent a previously unrecognized genus, bomaviruses, or family, Bomaviridae, within the order Mononegavirales.
  • Genomic RNA template for library construction was obtained from an oligodendrocyte cell line (Oligo/TL) acutely infected with BDV Strain V ⁇ Briese, T., et al., Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 89:11486-11489 (1992) ⁇ .
  • RNA from one viral particle preparation was polyadenylated with poly (A) polymerase (GibcoBRL, Life Technologies, Inc., Grand Island, New York) to facilitate cloning from the 3' terminus by oligo d(T) primed cDNA synthesis.
  • Libraries were prepared in pSPORT using the Superscript Plasmid system (GibcoBRL, Life Technologies, Inc., Grand Island, New York).
  • the first library was screened using pAB5 and pAF4 radiolabeled restriction fragments ⁇ Lipkin, W. I., et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:4184-4188 (1990) ⁇ .
  • Subsequent libraries were screened using radiolabeled restriction fragments from locations progressively 5' on the genomic RNA. 5' -terminal sequence from each library was used to design an oligonucleotide primer for construction of the next library.
  • DNA sequencing and sequence analysis Plasmid DNA was sequenced on both strands by the dideoxynucleotide chain termination method ⁇ Sanger, F., et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.
  • Genomic RNA from one viral particle preparation (1-2 ⁇ 10 8 cells) was treated with tobacco acid pyrophosphatase (Epicentre Technologies, Madison, Wisconsin) and circularized with T4 RNA ligase (New England Biolabs, Inc., Beverly, Massachusetts) ⁇ Mandl, C. W., et al., BioTechniques 10:484-486 (1991) ⁇ .
  • the ligated RNA was reverse transcribed with Superscript II (Gibco BRL, Life Technologies, Inc., Grand Island, New York) using primer 5'-GCCTCCCCTTAGCGACACCCTGTA (SEQ ID NO: 11), complementary to a region 465 nucleotides (nt) from the 5' terminus of the BDV genome.
  • a 2 ⁇ l aliquot of the reverse transcription reaction was used to amplify the ligated region by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using Stoffel fragment (Perkin-Elmer Cetus, Norwalk, Connecticut).
  • Primers used in the first round of PCR were 5'-GCCTCCCCTTAGCGACACCCTGTA (SEQ ID NO: 11) and 5'-GAAACATATCGCGCCGTGCA (SEQ ID NO: 12), located 241 nt from the 3' terminus of the BDV genome.
  • Amplified products were subjected to a second round of PCR using a nested set of primers: 5'-TACGTTGGAGTTGTTAGGAAGC (SEQ ID NO: 13), 251 nt from the 5' terminus, and 5'-GAGCTTAGGGAGGCTCGCTG (SEQ ID NO: 14), 120 nt from the 3' terminus.
  • PCR products were cloned ⁇ Schneider, P. A., et al., J. Virol 68:63-68 (1994) ⁇ and sequence across the 5'/3' junction was determined from five independent isolates.
  • FIG. 3. (a) Organization of the BDV genome. Hatched boxes represent coding sequence complementary to ORFs for identified proteins, p40, p23, gp18, or putative proteins, p57, p180. (p180 is also referred to as pol.) Overlap is indicated by cross-hatched areas. Length of coding sequence corresponding to ORFs in nucleotides is indicated in brackets. Underlined italic numbers indicate length of sequence from stop codon complement to last templated uridine of termination/polyadenylylation signal (black boxes).
  • Genomic sequence was translated in all six possible reading frames (3' -5' negative sense; 5' -3' positive sense) by using FRAMES (Genetics Computer Group). ORFs are indicated by bars and hatched boxes.
  • FIG. 4 Alignment of the p180 (pol) ORF and negative-strand RNA virus L-polymerase amino acid sequences with PILEUP. Solid lines indicate conserved L-polymerase motifs (a, A, B, C, D). BDV sequence is indicated with double arrowheads.
  • Rhabdoviridae RaV, rabies virus; VSV, vesicular stomatitis virus; SYN, sonchus yellow net virus.
  • Paramyxoviridae MeV, measles virus; SeV, Sendai virus; NDV, Newcastle disease virus;
  • RSV respiratory syncytial virus.
  • Filoviridae MaV, Marburg virus. Numbers indicate amino acid range shown. Uppercase letters in viral sequence lines indicate residues conserved in more than six sequences. Uppercase letters in consensus line (Con) indicate presence of identical or conserved amino acids in BDV. Agreement of BDV sequence with either rhabdo- or paramyxoviruses is indicated by * or x, respectively. +, Nonconserved glycine residue in BDV.
  • FIG. 5 Sequence analysis of BDV genomic termini.
  • Underlined sequence refers to transcriptional start of first gene or end of the L- polymerase gene (also referred to as "pol gene”), respectively (predicted for BDV) .
  • the end of the L- polymerase gene of RaV is located outside the region shown.
  • genomic RNA was polyadenylated in vitro in order to facilitate oligo d(T) -primed cDNA synthesis.
  • genome-complementary oligonucleotide primers were designed based on 5' terminal sequence determined in the previous round of cloning. Each region of the genome was sequenced using a minimum of two independent clones. To determine the sequences at the termini, genomic RNA was circularized and sequenced across the junction using five independent clones.
  • the 8,910 nt BDV genome contained antisense information for five major ORFs flanked by 53 nt of noncoding sequence at the 3' terminus and 91 nt of noncoding sequence at the 5' terminus (FIG. 3).
  • the first two ORFs encoded two previously described viral proteins, p40 ⁇ McClure, M. A., et al., J. Virol. 66:6572-6577 (1992) ⁇ and p23 ⁇ Thierer, J., et al., J. Gen. Virol. 73:413-416 (1992) ⁇ .
  • the third, fourth and fifth ORF had coding capacities of 16 kDa (gp18), 57 kDa
  • the 57 kDa ORF was in a +1/-2 frame relative to the other four ORFs and overlapped the adjacent ORF for gp18 by 28 amino acids and ORF pi80 by 34 amino acids. All ORFs were located on the (+) strand, complementary to the genomic RNA. ORF analysis of the genomic (-) strand showed only three small ORF's, each with a coding capacity of less than 16 kDa (FIG. 3b).
  • the GCG/pileup generated dendrogram obtained using complete ORF p180 and L-protein sequences, indicated that the putative BDV polymerase was more closely related to L-polymerases of Rhabdoviridae than Paramyxoviridae.
  • 3' terminal genomic sequence had a high A/U content of 60.5 % with an A to U ratio of -1:2, similar to 3' leader sequences of other negative-strand RNA viruses.
  • filo-, paramyxo- and rhabdoviruses have a common G/U rich region (FIG. 5a).
  • FOG. 5a G/U rich region
  • BDV as in respiratory syncitial virus, rabies virus and filoviruses, this region was not located at the 3' extremity.
  • Comparison of the 3' and 5' termini of BDV genomic RNA revealed complementarity similar to that found in other negative-strand RNA viruses ⁇ Keene, J. D., et al., J. Virol.
  • Northern hybridization experiments supported use of four of these sites (T2, T3 , T5 and T7) and allowed identification of a termination/polyadenylation signal consensus sequence (CMNMYYMNWA e ), where M is A or C, Y is C or U, and W is A or U. Only one of the three remaining sites (t6) matched the consensus sequence (FIG. 6c). Northern Hybridization Analysis.
  • FIG. 6a and b Because this procedure does not entirely eliminate poly(A)- RNAs, small levels of BDV genome-size RNA can usually be detected in these preparations. To allow determination of the relative abundance of RNAs detected by each probe, exposure times were normalized to the signal of the 8.9-kb RNA. Consistent with the 3' to 5' transcriptional gradient found for other negative-strand RNA viruses, of the eight subgenomic RNAs identified, those detected by the 3'-most probes (genomic orientation), A and B, were more abundant than those detected by the more 5' probes (FIG. 6a and b).
  • Probes C* and E* were used to distinguish between termination at T5 or t6 (FIG. 6b) .
  • the patterns of hybridization with probes C* and E* were identical to those obtained with probes C and E, respectively indicating termination at T5 (data not shown) .
  • Probes corresponding to p40 (A) and p23 (B) detected monocistronic RNAs of 1.2 kb and 0.75 kb, respectively
  • Probes A and B also detected a 1.9 kb RNA consistent with failure of transcriptional termination at the p40 termination site ⁇ Pyper, J. M., et al., Virology
  • the order Mononegavirales which incorporates the families Filoviridae, Paramyxoviridae and Rhabdoviridae, has distinct characteristics that include: (1) a nonsegmented negative sense RNA genome, (2) linear genome organization in the order 3' untranslated region /core protein genes /envelope protein genes /polymerase gene /untranslated 5' region, (3) a virion associated RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, (4) a helical nucleocapsid that serves as template for replication and transcription, (5) transcription of 5-10 discrete, unprocessed mRNAs by sequential interrupted synthesis from a single promoter and (6) replication by synthesis of a positive sense antigenome ⁇ Pringle, C.
  • the genomes of rhabdo-, paramyxo- and filoviruses range in size from 11 to 20 kb.
  • the BDV genome has been estimated to be between 8.5 ⁇ Lipkin, W. I., et al., Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 87:4184-4188 (1990) and de la Torre, J., et al., Virology 179:853-856
  • BDV is a member of the order Mononegavirales: organization of ORFs on the genome, extensive sequence similarities of the largest BDV ORF to L-polymerases of rhabdo-, paramyxo- and filoviruses, homology of 3' noncoding sequence to leader sequences of Mononegavirales and complementarity of BDV genomic termini.
  • the first ORF contains 1110 nt . Due to a more favorable translation initiation context ⁇ Kozak, M., Nucleic Acids Res. 15:8125-8148 (1987) ⁇ , it is likely that the second AUG codon, 39 nt inside the ORF, is used to express a 357 aa protein of 39.5 kDa (p40) ⁇ Pyper, J. M., et al., Virology 195:229-238 (1993) ⁇ . 26 nt downstream of the stop codon is a polyadenylation signal ⁇ McClure, M. A., et al., J.
  • the second ORF starts 79 nt from the p40 polyadenylation site. It has a length of 603 nt coding for a 201 aa protein of 22.5 kDa (p23).
  • the stop codon of ORF p23 is part of the polyadenylation signal ⁇ Thierer, J., et al., J. Gen. Virol. 73:413-416 (1992) ⁇ (T3, FIG. 6b and c).
  • a third AUG located outside the overlap is 451 nt from the beginning of the ORF. Which, if any, of these AUGs is used is unknown as no protein has been identified.
  • a potential polyadenylation site is located 28 nt downstream of the p57 ORF (t4). However, Northern hybridization results suggest that this site is a weak or nonfunctional signal, because no major transcript(s) were found to stop at this position (FIG.6).
  • the fifth ORF encompasses more than half the length of the genome.
  • a potential polyadenylation site (T7) similar to that seen at the end of ORFs p40 and p23, is found 33 nt from the stop codon of p180 (pol) ORF (FIG. 6b and c).
  • Deletions identified by Northern hybridization analysis suggested that viral mRNAs might undergo post-transcriptional modification by RNA splicing. This hypothesis was subsequently confirmed by applicants ⁇ Schneider, P.A. et al., J. Virol , 68:5007-5012 (1994); Schneemann, A. et al. J.
  • RNA splicing extends the pol ORF by 459 nucleotides allowing prediction of a protein of 190kDa. ⁇ Schneider, P. et al, J. Virol , 68:5007-5012 (1994) ⁇ . Although functional studies of BDV proteins have not yet been done, the organization of the viral genome together with the limited biochemical data available suggest possible roles for individual proteins in the virus life cycle. Four lines of evidence suggest that p40 is likely to be a structural protein:
  • p40 is found in the most 3' position on the genome; (2) p40 is similar in size to N proteins; (3) both p40 ⁇ Pyper, J. M., et al., Virologyy
  • ORF p23 corresponds in position to genes coding for phosphoproteins in Paramyxoviridae (P) and Rhabdoviridae (NS) ⁇ Banerjee, A. K., et al., Pharmacol, Ther. 51:47-70 (1991) ⁇ . This suggests that p23 might serve a similar role in the BDV system.
  • GCG analysis showed that the protein has a high Ser/Thr content (16%), is charged (pi 4.8) and contains a N-terminal cluster of acidic amino acids compatible with structural features of P/NS proteins ⁇ Banerjee, A.
  • gp18 occupies this position on the BDV genome. Though small for a matrix protein, gp18 has a predicted pi ,10, that is close to the basic pi of M proteins, -9, and its membrane-association would be compatible with a matrix protein function. For p57, computer analysis predicted similarities to glycoproteins of negative-strand RNA viruses: potential glycosylation sites as well as N-terminal and C-terminal hydrophobic "anchor" domains
  • BDV shows a high frequency of readthrough transcripts.
  • Organization and sequence similarities to Filo-, Paramyxo- and Rhabdoviridae suggest that BDV is a member of the order Mononegavirales.
  • Overlap of coding sequence, high frequency of polycistronic readthrough transcripts and posttranscriptional modification are properties of the BDV system not found in other members of the order Mononegavirales.
  • glycoprotein from BDV-infected rat brain that is encoded by a 429-nucleotide (nt) ORF located 3' to ORF p23 on the viral antigenome.
  • the protein is predicted to be 16.2 kDa; glycosylation results in a 1- to 2-kDa increase in molecular weight.
  • This glycoprotein, gp18 is the first glycoprotein to be identified in the BDV system. Lectin binding and endoglycosidase sensitivity assays suggest that gp18 is an unusual N-linked glycoprotein.
  • Protein was purified from infected cells and tissues by detergent-salt extraction by the method of Schadler et al. ⁇ Schadler, R., et al., J Gen. Virol , 66:2479-2484
  • Antibodies to purified gp18 were produced in 3-month-old BALB/c mice. Animals were injected subcutaneously with 5 ⁇ g of protein in Freund's complete adjuvant and boosted 3 weeks later with a subcutaneous injection of 3 ⁇ g of protein in Freund's incomplete adjuvant. For 6 weeks thereafter, at 2-week intervals, animals received intraperitoneal injections of 5 ⁇ g of protein in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) with 5 ⁇ g of lipopolysaccharide (Salmonella typhimurium; Difco, Detroit,
  • PBS phosphate-buffered saline
  • gp18-specific oligonucleotides were used to amplify full-length coding sequence for gp18 from two BDV- infected adult rat brain cDNA libraries ⁇ Lipkin, W. I., et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA , 87:4184-4188 (1990) and McClure, M. A., et al., J. Virol. 66:6572-6577 (1992) ⁇ as well as total cellular RNA ⁇ Chirgwin, J. J., et al.,Biochemistry, 18:5294-5299 (1979) ⁇ and poly(A) + RNA ⁇ Aviv,
  • Cotranslational processing was assessed by in vitro translation using reticulocyte lysates supplemented with canine microsomal membranes (Promega, Madison, Wisconsin). Transcription, translation, and cotranslational processing studies were performed according to the manufacturer's protocols. Translation products were immunoprecipitated with mouse anti-gp18 serum and then size fractionated by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) (13% gel) ⁇ Laemmli, U. K., et al., J. Mol Biol. , 80:575-581
  • Proteins were size fractionated by SDS-PAGE (12% gel) and then transferred to Immobilon-N membranes (Millipore Corp., Bedford, Massachusetts).
  • Primary antisera for immunoblotting were from rats chronically infected with BDV (day 100 after intracranial infection) or mice immunized with purified gp18.
  • the secondary antibody was alkaline phosphatase-conjugated goat antimouse immunoglobulin G (Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, Missouri); the substrate was Western Blue (Promega Corp., Madison, Wisconsin).
  • Purified protein was size fractionated by SDS-PAGE (13% gel) and then either silver stained for detection of protein or carbohydrate ⁇ Tsai, C. M. , et al., Anal. Biochem. , 119:115-119 (1982) ⁇ or transferred to Immobilon-N membranes (Millipore, Bedford, Massachusetts) for lectin staining.
  • the carbohydrate composition of immobilized protein was determined by using a DIG Glycan Differentiation Kit (Boehringer Mannheim, Indianapolis, Indiana) and peroxidase-labeled Bandeiraea simplicifolia agglutinins I and II (BS-I and BS-II; Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, Missouri).
  • the substrate for peroxidase was 4-chloro-1-naphthol (Pierce Chemical Company, Rockford, Illinois).
  • Glycosidase digests of native and denatured protein were performed according to the manufacturer's protocols, using the following endoglycosidases: endoglycosidase F and
  • N-glycosidase F O-glycosidase; N-glycosidase F; endoglycosidase F, N-glycosidase free; endoglycosidase H; and endo- ⁇ -galactosidase (Boehringer Mannheim).
  • FIG. 7 Sequence of ORF gp18.
  • the diagram shows the location of ORF gp18 on the viral antigenome (5'-3') relative to ORFs p40 and p23 (boxes).
  • ORF gp18 sequences were from Oligo/TL cells infected with BDV strain V (SV) and rat brain infected with BDV He/80 (RB).
  • Peptide sequences (P#1, P#2, and P#3) were obtained by microsequencing of purified protein from He/80-infected rat brain. Periods indicate identical nucleotide or amino acid sequences. Variable amino acid residues (large asterisk) and stop codons (small asterisks) are indicated. Underlining indicates potential glycosylation sites.
  • FIG. 8 Glycan determination of gp18.
  • gp18 isolated from infected rat brain was size fractionated by SDS-PAGE (12% gel) then transferred to an Immobilon-N membrane for lectin staining (see Materials and Methods).
  • Positions of molecular weight markers are shown in kilodaltons at the right.
  • FIG. 10 In vitro transcription, translation, and cotranslational processing of gp18.
  • R ⁇ A transcripts were synthesized from pBDV-23 (a nonglycosylated BDV protein control) or pBDV-gp18 and translated in vitro by using rabbit reticulocyte lysates in either the absence or presence of canine microsomal membranes.
  • [ 35 S]methionine-labeled translation products were immunoprecipitated with antisera to p23 or gp18 and protein A-Sepharose and then size fractionated by SDS-PAGE (13% gel) for autoradiography (A) or transferred to Immobilon- ⁇ membranes for ConA lectin staining (B).
  • the long arrow indicates the position of glycosylated protein (lanes 3 and 4); the short arrow indicates the position of protein after treatment with endoglycosidase F plus N-glycosidase F (lane 5). The asterisk indicates nonspecific background signal (lane 5). Positions of molecular weight markers are shown in kilodaltons at the right.
  • Protein was isolated from neonatally infected rat brain, acutely infected rabbit fetal glial cells (two passages), persistently infected C6 cells, and persistently infected MDCK cells, using the method of Schadler et al. ⁇ Schadler, R., et al., J. Gen. Virol , 66:2479-2484 (1985) ⁇ . The purity of the protein was confirmed by silver staining of the protein after SDS-PAGE (data not shown). The quantity of protein was estimated in silver-stained gels by using lysozyme standards. Typical yields were 5 ⁇ g of protein from one neonatally infected rat brain and 2 ⁇ g of protein from 10 8 infected cultured cells. Protein from neonatally infected rat brain was used for microsequencing, carbohydrate analysis, and immunization of mice.
  • peptides 1 and 3; FIG. 7 were isolated by RP-HPLC and sequenced individually, allowing inference of a third sequence (peptide 2; FIG. 7) by subtraction.
  • Peptide sequences were used as probes to search ORFs located on the BDV antigenome.
  • the peptide sequences obtained from the purified gp18 mapped to a 429-nt ORF (ORF gp18) on the viral antigenome that predicts a 142-amino-acid protein with a molecular weight of 16,244 (FIG. 7) .
  • Genomic sequence corresponding to the gp18 ORF was used to design probes and primers for identifying mRNA encoding gp18.
  • A BDV-infected adult rat brain poly
  • RNA ⁇ Lipkin W. I., et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA , 87:4164-4188 (1990) and McClure, M. A., et al., J.
  • Virol , 66:6572-6577 (1992) ⁇ 100,000 recombinants were screened by hybridization with a 271-bp HincII -Hin ⁇ I restriction fragment from pTB-BDV 5.82 (nt 2062 to 2333 in the viral genome) ⁇ Briese, T., et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:4362-4366 (1994) ⁇ . These libraries were also screened by PCR using the 5'-terminal XhoI-gp18 sense primer (nt 1892 to 1914) and oligo(dT).
  • RNAs extracted from persistently infected C6 cells, BDV-infected adult rat brain, or 3-week-old neonatally infected rat brain were subjected to RT-PCR using oligo(dT) in combination with the 5'-terminal XhoI -gp18 sense primer. No gp18-specific transcript corresponding to the size of ORF gp18 was obtained in these experiments. In contrast, use of the 5'-terminal XhoI-gp18 sense primer in combination with a
  • 3'-terminal gp18 antisense primer (nt 2301 to 2321) allowed amplification of gp18 sequences from any of these sources by RT-PCR.
  • the predicted amino acid sequence obtained from the different sources was the same as for strain V genomic sequence, with the exception of a single exchange in position 108 (E ⁇ D) (FIG. 7).
  • Purified gp18 was size fractionated by SDS-PAGE. Modified silver staining revealed the presence of carbohydrate; thus, fractionated protein was blotted onto Immobilon-N membranes to determine the presence of individual saccharides through lectin binding studies. Binding was observed with Cancanavalia ensiformis agglutinin (ConA), wheat germ agglutinin, Datura stramonium agglutinin, BS-I, and BS-II but not with Galanthus nivalis agglutinin, Sambucus nigra agglutinin, Maackia amurensis agglutinin, and peanut agglutinin (FIG. 8).
  • N-glycosidase F resulted in a loss of 1 to 2 kDa (FIG. 9) and abrogation of lectin staining with ConA (data not shown).
  • Treatment with endoglycosidase F (N-glycosidase free) or endo- ⁇ -galactosidase also resulted in a loss of 1 to 2 kDa (FIG. 9).
  • gp18 R ⁇ A was transcribed and translated in vitro in either the presence or absence of canine microsomal membranes.
  • the gp18 R ⁇ A directed translation of two proteins of 16 and 18 kDa that were recognized by monospecific murine antiserum to purified gp18. Translation in the presence of microsomal membranes led to an increase in the relative proportion of the 18-kDa protein.
  • Treatment with endoglycosidase F resulted in loss of the 18-kDa protein species (FIG. 10A). Glycosylation of the 18-kDa species was also shown by lectin binding studies performed after translation products were size fractionated by SDS-PAGE and transferred to membranes.
  • the 18-kDa protein was recognized by ConA, whereas the 16-kDa protein did not bind ConA (FIG. 10B). Modification of translated protein by the microsomal membranes was specific for gp18. Translation of RNA encoding BDV p23, which encodes a potential N-glycosylation site (amino acids 53 to 55), included as a negative control for in vitro glycosylation, was not influenced by the presence of microsomal membranes (FIG. 10A).
  • gp18 is sensitive to N-glycosidase
  • tyrosine (Y) another hydroxyl amino acid in position +2
  • Y tyrosine
  • a second potential site for N glycosylation is L-N-S-L-S (amino acids 87 to 91), which is similar to S-N-S-G-phosphorylated S, the site for N glycosylation in a glycopeptide from hen yolk phosvitin ⁇ Shainkin, R. , et al., J. Biol Chem. , 246:2278-2284 (1971) ⁇ .
  • gp18 is sensitive to endoglycosidase F, an enzyme that cleaves after the N-linked N-acetylglucosamine in high mannose-, biantennary hybrid-, and biantennary complex-type oligosaccharides ⁇ Tarentino, A. L., et al., Biochem. , 24:4665-4671 (1985) and Tarentino, A. L., et al.,Methods Enzymol , 230:44-57 (1994) ⁇ .
  • the protein is not sensitive to endoglycosidase H, an enzyme which cleaves after the ⁇ -linked N-acetylglucosamine in high-mannose- and most hybrid-type oligosaccharides but does not cleave complex-type oligosaccharides ⁇ Trimbel, R.B., et al., Anal. Biochem. , 141:515-522 (1984) ⁇ .
  • Lectin staining using G. nivalis agglutinin shows no evidence of terminal mannose characteristic for hybrid- and high-mannose-type glycosylation.
  • staining with ConA mannose, N-acetylglucosamine , branched trimannosyl core
  • gp18 is sensitive to endo- ⁇ -galactosidase. This enzyme cleaves between galactose and either N-acetylglucosamine or galactose when these saccharides occur in unbranched sequence ⁇ Scudder, P., et al., J. Biol. Chem. , 259:6586-6592 (1984) ⁇ . The presence of galactose was confirmed by BS-I lectin binding (FIG. 8). The presence of both N-acetylglucosamine and galactose was confirmed by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection.
  • N-acetylgalactosamine and galactose are usually found in O-linked carbohydrates ⁇ Hayes, B. K., et al., J. Biol. Chem. 268:16170-16178 (1993) ⁇ . Though it is possible that gp18 is both ⁇ and O glycosylated, N-acetylgalactosamme has also been reported to occur in complex-type ⁇ -linked glycosylation ⁇ Hayes, B. K., et al., J. Biol. Chem. 268:16170-16178 (1993) ⁇ .
  • RNA hybridization experiments with gp18-specific probes using total RNA or poly (A) + RNA from infected cells or rat brain detected only 1.5-, 2.8-, 3.5-, 6.1-, and 7.1-kb transcripts.
  • BDV The role of gp18 in the BDV life cycle remains to be determined.
  • genetic analysis has characterized BDV as a member of the order Mononegavirales ⁇ Briese, T., et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:4362-4366 (1994) and Cubitt, B., et al., J. Virol , 66:1382-1996 (1994) ⁇ .
  • the third gene In nonsegmented, negative-strand RNA viruses, the third gene usually directs expression of a matrix protein.
  • cDNAs representing the p57 ORF were amplified by RT-PCR using BDV (strain He/80)-rat brain RNA as template.
  • the amplified p57 cDNA was subcloned into two plasmid vectors, pET21b (Novagen) and pSFV-1 (GIBCO BRL).
  • pET21b a prokaryotic expression vector
  • the N-terminus of p57 contains a hydrophobic sequence that confers extreme toxicity to prokaryotic cells. Therefore, to facilitate the expression of p57, the first 152 N-terminal amino acids were excluded during the cloning.
  • PCR amplified cDNA representing nucleotides 2697 to 3743 of p57 ORF (amino acids 153 to 503) was generated by using oligonucleotide primers designed with a 5' restriction site (BamHl for sense primer; Xhol for antisense primer).
  • the PCR product was cloned into pET21b at the BamHl and Xhol restriction sites, thus generating pET21b-BDV57 153-503 .
  • the pET21b-BDV5 7153-503 plasmid was transformed into BL21 host cells and recombinant protein was expressed and purified by using protocols provided by the manufacturer.
  • pSFV-1 is a eukaryotic expression vector that can be used to generate a replication defective
  • Semliki Forest virus (SFV) genomic RNA The entire p57
  • ORF was PCR amplified and cloned into pSFV-1 prepared with 3' T-overhangs at the Smal site, thus generating pSFV-BDV57.
  • This system provides a convenient tool for diagnosing disease, determining the prevalence of infection in animal and human populations and mapping the antigenic determinants for the immune response in infected hosts.
  • BDV strain He/80 was originally isolated from infected horse brain, passaged twice in rabbits, three times in rabbit fetal glial cells, and twice in Lewis rats ⁇ Herzog, S., et al., Med. Microbiol. Immunol , 168:153-158
  • pBDV-cp18 in pBluescript SKII+ was digested with Xho I and BamH I. Digested fragments were purified by agarose gel electrophoresis (USB, USBioclean, Cleveland, Ohio) and cloned into pET15b (Novagen Corporation, Madison, Wisconsin). Protein expression in plasmid containing Escherischia coli cells was induced by addition of isopropyl- ⁇ - thiogalactopyranoside (1 mM) for 3 hours at 37°C. Proteins (recp4O, recp23, and recp18) were purified by nickel-chelate affinity chromatography according to manufacturer's instructions (Novagen Corp.).
  • Proteins were dialyzed against 150 mM NaCl and 2.5 mM CaCl 2 and digested with biotinylated thrombin (1 unit/mg recombinant protein, Novagen Corp.) overnight at room temperature. Thrombin was removed using streptavidin-agarose (Novagen Corp.) according to manufacturer's protocol. Protein concentrations were estimated by BioRad protein assay according to manufacturer's instructions.
  • Sera were collected from infected rats at time of sacrifice or by tail bleeding at 2-week intervals after inoculation with BDV.
  • Antibodies to recp40 and recp23 were each produced in two rabbits. Animals were injected subcutaneously (s.c.) with 25 ⁇ g of protein in Freund's complete adjuvant and then boosted 3 weeks later s.c. with 25 ⁇ g of protein in Freund's incomplete adjuvant. After 6 weeks some animals received an additional s.c. injection of 25 ⁇ g protein in Freund's incomplete adjuvant. Blood was collected at 2-week intervals during weeks 7 through 14 for detection of antibodies by Western blot and ELISA.
  • Rabbit fetal glial cells were processed for titration of serum antibodies against BDV using the immunohistochemical methods of Pauli et al. ⁇ Pauli, G., et al., Zbl Vet. Med. [B] 31:552-557 (1984) ⁇ . Briefly, infected and noninfected cells were fixed with 4% formaldehyde in PBS, permeabilized with 1% Triton X-100 in PBS and blocked with 1% fetal bovine serum (FBS) in PBS.
  • FBS fetal bovine serum
  • lysates from infected and noninfected C6 cells were prepared according to Bause-Niedrig, et al . ⁇ Bause-Niedrig, I., M. et al., Vet. Immunol Immunopathol . , 31:361-369 (1992) ⁇ . Proteins from these lysates (30 ⁇ g) and recombinant BDV proteins (250 ng) were subjected to 12% SDS-PAGE ⁇ Laemmli, U. K., et al., J. Mol. Biol.
  • TBS tris balanced saline, 50 mM Tris-HCl pH 7.5 and 150 mM NaCl
  • various dilutions (1:10 to 1:2,000) of rat sera or monospecific rabbit sera in WB-diluent.
  • Membranes were washed 3 times in TBS, incubated for 2 hours with the appropriate secondary antibody (horseradish peroxidase-conjugated goat anti-rat IgG and IgM or goat anti-rabbit IgG, Sigma Chemical Co., St.
  • plasmid clones pBDV-gp18, pBDV-23 and pBDV-40 were linearized and used as template for in vitro transcription and translation of [ 35 S] methionine-labeled proteins. After precipitation with rat or rabbit sera and protein A-sepharose (Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, Missouri), proteins were analyzed by SDS-PAGE and autoradiography.
  • FIG. 11 Western blot analysis of native and recombinant proteins with monospecific antisera to recombinant proteins and sera from infected rats.
  • Recombinant viral proteins and lysates from infected C6BDV or noninfected C6BDV cells were size-fractionated and screened by Western blot.
  • Lanes 1-4 were treated with serum from infected rat; lanes 5 and 6 were treated with serum from noninfected rat.
  • B) Monospecific antisera were used to detect BDV-specific proteins.
  • lanes 4 and 5 were incubated with: lanes 1 and 4, serum from infected rat; lane 2, anti-p40 rabbit serum; lane 3, anti-p23 rabbit serum; and lane 5, pooled anti-p40 and anti-p23 sera.
  • FIG. 12 ELISA of infected rat serum reacted with recp40.
  • ELISA was performed with 10 ng/well recp40 or BSA as described in Materials and Methods. Circles, recp40 and serum from chronically infected rat; squares, recp40 and serum from noninfected rat; triangles, BSA and serum from chronically infected rat.
  • FIG. 13 Timecourse for appearance of antibodies to BDV-proteins. Sera were collected at different times post-infection and assayed by ELISA for antibodies to (A) recp40; (B) recp23; and (C) recp18. Error bars represent standard error of the mean. Number of animals analyzed at each time point: ⁇ 4 wks, 15; 5 wks, 6; 6 wks, 12; 8 wks, 4; 10 wks, 5; and 15 wks, 9.
  • Recombinant proteins were analyzed by SDS-PAGE. A predominant band of the expected molecular weight was observed for each protein and tested for antigenicity by WB using sera from BDV-infected and noninfected rats (FIG. 11A). Recombinant proteins were detected by sera from BDV-infected rats but not by sera from noninfected rats. Recombinant proteins, recp40 and recp23 were used to produce antibodies in rabbits.
  • the production of antibodies was monitored by ELISA. Rabbits were sacrificed when the ELISA titer reached 1:500,000 (week 16 of immunization). The specificity of the antisera was then tested by WB using lysates from infected cells and recombinant proteins (FIG. 11B). Antisera were monospecific: rabbits immunized with recp40 produced antibodies that reacted only with p40 and recp40; rabbits immunized with recp23 produced antibodies that reacted only with p23 and recp23. At week 16 of immunization, the antisera were also titered by IFT. Antisera to recp40 and recp23 had IFT titers of 1:50,000 and 1:100,000, respectively. Specificity and sensitivity demonstrated in the BDV-ELISA systems
  • the optimal antigen concentration was determined by checkerboard titration of positive and negative sera versus various antigen concentrations. For each protein, the concentration that resulted in the most linear response was 10 ng/well .
  • the sensitivity of the ELISA system for each recombinant protein was established using sera from infected rats known to be reactive by IFT, IP and WB. For each of the proteins, 100% of sera that had been found to be positive by other methods were also positive by ELISA. Specificity was tested using sera from 15 noninfected rats.
  • ELISA for each protein proved to be highly specific for detection of antibodies to BDV proteins: recp40-ELISA with noninfected rat sera showed 80% specificity at 1:500 dilution or 100% specificity at 1:2,000, recp23-ELISA showed 93% specificity at 1:250 and 100% specificity at 1:1,000, recp18-ELISA showed 100% specificity at 1:250.
  • Figure 12 shows a representative ELISA using recp40 as target antigen.
  • Various dilutions of sera from chronically infected and noninfected rats were tested with 10 ng of recombinant protein or BSA per well in comparison with BSA. No nonspecific background reactivity was observed at serum dilutions of 1:500 or higher (FIG. 12). Results were similar when recp23 and recp18 were used as target antigen.
  • Analysis of immunoreactivity to viral proteins by IFT WB, IP and ELISA in sera from infected rats showed 80% specificity at 1:500 dilution or 100% specificity at 1:
  • IFT allowed detection of antibodies to BDV in both AD rats and CD rats.
  • the titer was between 1:20 and 1:200, whereas in CD rats, the titer was between 1:10,000 and 1:20,000.
  • Sera from PD rats were not reactive by IFT.
  • WB using lysates from infected cells or recombinant proteins, and IP using proteins translated in vitro yielded identical results: sera from CD animals were reactive with p40, p23 and gp18; sera from AD rats detected only p40 and p23; sera from PD rats did not react with p40, p23 or gp18.
  • ELISA detected antibodies reactive with p40, p23 and gp18 in sera from all CD and AD rats (Table 3) .
  • ELISA only detected antibodies reactive with p40 and p23; immunoreactivity with gp18 was below specificity (Table 3).
  • BDV proteins Three recombinant BDV proteins, recp40, recp23 and recp18, were expressed and used as immunogens for production of monospecific sera in rabbits. Two of these antisera, directed against recp40 and recp23, are reported here; antisera to recp18 are described in Example 4 below. These three recombinant proteins were detected by sera from infected rats (FIG. 11A) and by monoclonal antibodies to purified native proteins. Monospecific antisera to the recombinant proteins were immunogen-specific as determined by WB (FIG. 11B) and detected proteins in infected cells by IFT.
  • IFT immunosorbent assay for detection of BDV-specific antibodies
  • WB and IP the viral protein responsible for immunoreactivity
  • IFT titers are 10-100 fold less sensitive than ELISA for detection of antibodies to p40 or p23. This relative insensitivity resulted in failure of IFT to show evidence of infection in PD rats (Table 3).
  • WB and IP allowed detection of antibodies to individual viral proteins but were also less sensitive than ELISA. Sera from PD rats were not reactive by either WB or IP.
  • the recp40-ELISA is the most sensitive method for detection of antibodies in infected animals. Antibodies to recp40 were present prior to disease onset and had higher titers than antibodies to recp23 or recp18. Although the recp23-ELISA was also positive in PD and AD rats, the recp18-ELISA was not. Because high titer antibodies to gp18 only appear in chronic disease, the recp18-ELISA may be used to estimate the duration of infection. Low antibody titers to recp18 are not due to the lack of glycosylation on this recombinant protein because similar ELISA titers were found with native gp18 antigen. Failure to produce high titer antibody response to recp18 may be due to lower levels of expression of this protein than p40 or p23.
  • BDV has a broader species and geographic range than previously appreciated suggests the importance of designing sensitive, reliable assays for infection.
  • the ELISA systems described here provide inexpensive, rapid methods for BDV-serology.
  • IFT, WB and IP which require at least 2 days for completion and are not well suited to screening multiple samples
  • ELISA allows analysis of hundreds of sera in several hours with only minimal equipment . Plates coated with these proteins have been stable in ELISA for up to one month at room temperature and thus are practical for use in remote laboratories.
  • the BDV ELISA is a useful tool for studies in immunopathogenesis and virus biology. For example, applicants have mapped antigen binding sites on p40 and p23 by ELISA using sera from infected animals and monoclonal antibodies to BDV proteins.
  • Antibodies to p40 and p23 are readily detected in both sera and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of naturally and experimentally infected animals ⁇ Ludwig, H. et al Progr. Med. Viro 35:107-151 (1988); Ludwig, H., et al Arch. Virol , 55:209-223 (1977) and Ludwig, H. et al Med. Microbiol. Immunol , 163:215-226 (1977) ⁇ .
  • Antibodies to gp18, a membrane-associated glycoprotein previously described as 14.5 kDa
  • BDV infected animals Sixty-thousand focus forming units (ffu) of BDV strain He/80-1 ⁇ Carbone, K. M., et al., J. Virol , 61:3431-3440 (1987); Herzog, S., et al., Med. Microbiol. Immunol., 168:158-8 (1980) and Schneider, P. A., et al., J. Virol , 68:63-66 (1994) ⁇ were used to intranasally
  • Rats were observed at three days intervals for weight loss, ruffled fur or postural abnormalities consistent with acute disease. Sera were collected at time of sacrifice. Under metofane anesthesia, rats were perfused with buffered 4% paraformaldehyde; brains were fixed overnight in perfusate at 4°C. Twenty-micron sagittal sections were collected onto gelatin coated slides and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Inflammation was scored using the scale of Stitz, Sobbe and Bilzer ⁇ Stitz, L., et al., J. Virol , 66:3316-23 (1992) ⁇ .
  • Viral infectivity in 20% brain homogenates was determined using the method of Pauli et al. ⁇ Pauli, G., et al., Zbl. Vet.-Med. [B] 31:552-557 (1984) ⁇ .
  • Virus neutralization was performed using a modification of Danner et al. ⁇ Danner, K. , et al . , Zbl. Vet.-Med. [B], 25:345-355 (1978) ⁇ . Briefly, 50 ffu of BDV were incubated with serial dilutions of antibodies or sera for one hour at 37°C, added to rabbit fetal glial cells and incubated for 5 days. Sera was heat inactivated at 56°C for 30 minutes.
  • mouse complement (1:50) (Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, Missouri) was added to the virus concurrent with the addition of MAbs to determine the effects of complement on neutralization activity.
  • NT 50 neutralization titer
  • rabbit fetal cells were exposed to medium without virus, treated with virus in medium alone
  • Recombinant proteins (recp40, recp23 and recp18) were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified according to manufacturer's protocol (Novagen, Madison, Wisconsin). Purity and antigenicity were assessed by SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis using sera from infected rats. Native, glycosylated gp18 was prepared from infected rat brain as described previously ⁇ Schadler, R., et al., J. Gen. Virol. , 66:2479-2484 (1985) ⁇ .
  • ELISA was performed as described in Example 3 above. Briefly, plates coated with recombinant protein were incubated with serially diluted sera or MAbs. Bound horseradish peroxidase (HRPO) -coupled secondary antibody
  • Recombinant or native BDV proteins were subjected to SDS-PAGE ⁇ Laemmli, U. K., et al., J. Mol. Biol. , 80:575-581 (1973) ⁇ and transferred to nitrocellulose (Schleicher & Schuell, Inc., Keene, New Hampshire) or Immobilon-N membranes (Millipore Corp., Bedford, Maryland) ⁇ Towbin, H., et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA , 76:4350-4354 (1979) ⁇ . Membranes were blocked and incubated with primary antibody as described in Example 3 above.
  • MAbs to gp18 were generated according to Thiedemann et al. ⁇ Thiedemann, N., et al., J. Gen. Virol., 73:1057-1064 (1992) ⁇ . Briefly, Balb/c mice were immunized intraperitoneally (i.p.) with 5 ⁇ g of gp18 in complete Freund's adjuvant. Three and 6 weeks after the initial immunization, mice were boosted i.p. with 5 ⁇ g of gp18 in incomplete Freund's adjuvant. Four days before fusion of spleen cells with the mouse myeloma cells X63-Ag8.653 ⁇ Kearney, J. F., et al., J.
  • mice were boosted intravenously with 15 ⁇ g of gp18. All hybridomas were initially screened for reactivity to gp18 by ELISA. Tissue culture supernatants from positive hybridomas were concentrated by ammonium sulfate precipitation ⁇ Jonak, Z. L., p. 405-406, In R . H. Kennett,
  • Antibodies that bound to recp23 and recp40 were sequentially removed from serum of an infected rat according to Crabb et. al . ⁇ Crabb, B. S., et al., Virology, 190:143-154 (1992) ⁇ .
  • Serum (D2) from an adult-infected Lewis rat (15 weeks post intranasal infection) was diluted 1:10 in TBS (tris balanced saline, 50 mM Tris pH 7.4 and 100 mM NACl) and incubated overnight at 4°C with membrane-bound recp23.
  • the anti-recp23 antibody-depleted serum (D2 ⁇ ccrecp23) was removed, the membrane was washed with TBS and adsorbed anti-recp23 antibodies were eluted (recp23 eluant) by incubation with 1 ml of 0.1 M glycine, 0.15 M NaCl pH 2.7 for 3 minutes. The pH of the eluant was adjusted by addition of 300 ⁇ l of 10 mM Tris HCl pH 7.5. The anti-recp23 antibody-depleted serum was then incubated with membrane-bound recp40 (D2 ⁇ recp23, ⁇ ocrecp40) and purified as before (recp40 eluant).
  • Antibody depletion from serum and antibody elution from membrane-bound proteins was monitored by Western blot and ELISA. At each step during the purification, antibody- depleted sera and eluted antibodies were analyzed for neutralizing activity. Antibodies to gp18 or recp18 were also adsorbed (D2 ⁇ ccgp18, D2 ⁇ recp18) and eluted (gp18 eluant, recp18 eluant) by this method. These adsorption and elution experiments were repeated using serum (B3) from an additional adult-infected rat (15 week post intranasal infection).
  • IP of BDV particles or sub particles and analysis by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) IP of BDV particles or sub particles and analysis by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) :
  • PCR products were analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. PCR products were cloned and sequenced to confirm that they represented the predicted region of the genomic R ⁇ A ⁇ Schneider, P. A., et al., J. Virol , 68:63-66 (1994) ⁇ .
  • Negative controls for RT-PCR included the omission of virus from immunoprecipitation reactions and the use of genomic sense primers during first strand cDNA synthesis.
  • FIG. 14 Timecourse for the appearance of antibodies to BDV proteins in sera from individual rats after i.n. infection.
  • A Neutralization activity in sera from BDV-infected rats at three timepoints (5, 10 and 15 weeks post-infection). Each serum is represented by a circle. Bars indicate mean neutralization titer for each group (5, 10 or 15 weeks post-infection). Asterisk represents sera with neutralization titer less than or equal to 1:16.
  • B Plot of mean recp18 ELISA titers
  • Membranes were incubated first with sera and then with horseradish peroxidase-coupled goat anti-rat IgG. Bound secondary antibody was detected by chemiluminescence. Results shown are from serum of one representative animal at several different timepoints post BDV infection (p.i.).
  • FIG. 15 Monoclonal antibody (MAb) detection of gp18.
  • MAb Monoclonal antibody
  • MAbs were analyzed for binding to native gp18 in Western blot, gp18 was separated on 12% SDS-PAGE and transferred to an Immobilon-N membrane.
  • Strips were incubated with MAbs or sera from infected or noninfected rats. Bound antibodies were detected with alkaline phosphatase conjugated goat anti-rat IgG or goat anti-mouse Fab-specific and Western Blue substrate. Lanes: 1, serum from infected rat (15 week p.i., D2); 2, serum from noninfected rat; 3, MAb 14/29A5; 4, MAb 14/26B9; 5, MAb 14/8E1; 6, MAb 14/13E10; 7, MAb 14/18H7; and 8, MAb 24/36F1 (MAb directed against the BDV 23 kDa protein, negative control). Molecular weight markers (10 3 Da) are shown at the right.
  • FIG. 16 Neutralization profile of sera and MAbs.
  • BDV 50 ffu
  • A Serum from noninfected rat.
  • B serum from infected rat (15 week p.i., D2).
  • C MAb 14/13E10.
  • FIG. 17 Precipitation of BDV using sera from infected rats, monospecific rat antisera to recp18 and monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to gp18.
  • Virus was treated with nucleases to eliminate nucleic acid not contained within virions then immunoprecipitated with sera or MAbs and Protein A-Sepharose.
  • RNA was extracted and subjected to RT-PCR to amplify a 693 nucleotide viral genomic sequence. PCR-products were visualized in an ethidium bromide-stained 1% agarose gel.
  • A Precipitation of BDV with sera from infected rats.
  • B Precipitation of BDV by monospecific antisera to recp18 and MAbs to gp18. Lanes: 1, monospecific rat antisera to recp18; 2, MAb 14/13E10; 3, MAb 14/29A5. DNA markers (basepairs) are shown at the right.
  • the acute phase of the disease 4-8 weeks post infection, was associated with marked weight loss, disheveled fur, dystonic posture, hind limb paresis and paralysis, mortality of 35%, and prominent inflammatory cell infiltrates in the brain.
  • the chronic phase of disease 10-15 weeks post-infection, signs of disease stabilized and inflammation receded.
  • Virus titers in the brains of animals acutely (5 weeks p.i.) and chronically infected (15 weeks p.i.) were 2.4 ⁇ 0.4 ⁇ 10 5 ffu/ml and 4.4 ⁇ 0.2 ⁇ 10 4 ffu/ml, respectively.
  • Sera were monitored for virus neutralization activity (FIG.
  • antibodies reactive with recp40 and recp23 were detected by ELISA within 4 weeks of infection, reached a titer greater than 1:20,000 by 6 weeks p.i. and remained elevated through 15 weeks p.i. (see Example 3 above).
  • Antibodies reactive with recp40 and recp23 were detected by Western blot between weeks four and five p.i., whereas antibodies to gp18 were detectable only after week 10 p.i. (FIG. 14C). Affinity adsorption of neutralizing sera:
  • Eluted antibodies were reactive by ELISA with the proteins used for adsorption: recp23 eluant titer, 1:5,000; recp40 eluant titer, 1:15,000. Serum antibodies remaining after adsorption, and eluted antibodies, were then tested for neutralizing activity.
  • the neutralization titer of the D2 serum did not change after adsorption with recp23 and recp40 antigens (D2 ⁇ recp23, ⁇ recp40) (Table 4).
  • Antibodies eluted from proteins recp40 (recp40 eluant) and recp23 (recp23 eluant) had no neutralization activity (Table 4).
  • the NT 50 of the D2 serum decreased from 1:1,000-1,500 to 1:600-700 after adsorption with recp18 (D2 ⁇ ccrecp18) and to 1:160-200 after adsorption with gp18 (D2 ⁇ gp18) (Table 5).
  • the neutralization titers of antibodies eluted from recp18 (recp18 eluant) and gp18 (gp18 eluant) were 1:60-100 and 1:240-400, respectively (Table 4). Similar results were obtained with serum from rat B3.
  • MAbs were generated against gp18. Five positive clones were identified by ELISA using gp18 as antigen. The MAbs represented three different immunoglobulin isotypes, yet all contained the kappa light chain (Table 5). Although each of the monoclonal antibodies immunoprecipitated gp18 (Table 5, FIG. 5A) and recp18 (Table 5), only MAb, 14/29A5 reacted by Western blot (Table 5, FIG. 15B).
  • MAbs to gp18 used individually or in concert, inhibited a maximum of 6 ⁇ % of BDV infectivity (FIG. 16C and D).
  • neutralization activity of MAbs was tested with addition of either active or heat-inactivated mouse complement. No increase in neutralization titer was detected with addition of mouse complement. Serum from noninfected (normal) rats was not neutralizing at dilutions greater than 1:16 (FIG. 16A).
  • BDV stock was treated with nucleases to eliminate free nucleic acids then incubated with sera or MAbs and Protein A-Sepharose.
  • RNA was extracted from immunoprecipitated viral particles or subparticles and subjected to RT-PCR for amplification of viral genomic RNA.
  • Neutralizing rat sera (FIG. 17A), monospecific sera to recp18 (FIG. 17B) or gp18, and D2 serum antibodies eluted from recp18 or gp18 precipitated BDV particles. Removal of antibodies to recp23, recp40, recp18 or gp18 did not affect the capacity of neutralizing sera to precipitate viral particles.
  • MAbs also precipitated BDV (FIG. 17B and Table 5).
  • One MAb, 14/29A5 did not precipitate viral particles at any dilution (1:5, 1:100,
  • Sera from chronically-infected rats had greater neutralization activity than monospecific sera or monoclonal antibodies directed against gp18. Higher neutralization activity in sera from infected animals could reflect factors that influence epitope presentation such as interactions between gp18 and other proteins or the virion envelope. Alternatively, gp18 may not be the only BDV protein that elicits neutralizing antibodies. Sera from chronically-infected animals retained partial neutralizing activity and the capacity to precipitate virus after adsorption with gp18. Although this may be due to incomplete subtraction of antibodies to gp18 (Table 4) neutralizing antibodies may be directed against other viral proteins as well. For example, an additional candidate for a virion surface protein that may elicit neutralizing antibodies is p57.
  • This putative protein contains multiple potential N-glycosylation sites and, as the product of the fourth ORF on the BDV genome, is in the gene position generally occupied by glycoproteins in Mononegavirales ⁇ Briese, T., et al., Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA : 91:4362-4366 (1994) ⁇ . It is contemplated that passive administration of neutralizing antibodies or immunization with gp18 and other virion surface proteins can alter BDV pathogenesis.
  • the present invention discloses an ELISA test for schizophrenia and BDV infection; fragments and peptides derived from p23 and gp18 which are immunoreactive with sera from schizophrenics and animals infected with BDV and/or immunized with p23 and gp18.
  • the test is specific, sensitive, fast, easy, and economical.
  • indirect immunofluorescence assays (IFT) used in the current art does not define the viral protein(s) responsible for immunoreactvity.
  • IFT, immunoprecipitation (IP), and WB are also less sensitive than the ELISA of the present invention and require at least 2 days for completion and are unsuitable for screening of multiple samples.
  • the present ELISA provides inexpensive, rapid tests which allow analysis of hundreds of serum samples, e.g. in several hours, with minimal equipment.
  • the advantages of ELISA over the prior art diagnostic methods are described in further detail in Briese, T., et al , J. Clin. Microbiol. , 33:348-351 (1995).
  • the ELISA method disclosed herein is generally applicable for studies and detection of neurologic and neuropsychiatric diseases and BDV infections in men and animals.
  • the immunologic determinants on p23 and gp18 were determined using truncated fragments of these proteins.
  • the fragments used are shown in Figs. 20B and 21B.
  • the fragments are designated S1 to S4 and NS, respectively.
  • the fragments are derived from the unglycosylated version of recp18, and are denoted M1 to M4 and MS.
  • the fragments are shown from the amino terminus (left) to the carboxyl terminus
  • S1 represents the full length p23 because it spans from amino acid at position 1 (denoted laa in the figure) to the amino acid at position 201 (denoted 201aa) of p23.
  • S2 is a protein representing a fragment of p23, spanning from amino acid at position 37 to position 201 of p23.
  • MS is a protein representing a fragment of the unglycosylated gp18, spanning from amino acid at position 1 to position 70 of the unglycosylated gp18.
  • mice were used to determine whether the truncated fragments derived from unglycosylated gp18 were specifically immunoreactive with antibodies raised against native gp18. Again, similar patterns of immunoreactivity were found for sera from the BDV infected rats, mice immunized with native gp18, and schizophrenic patients. The above results are shown in Fig 20A and 21A, respectively, the taller blocks in the histograms indicate increased immunoreactivity relative to the shorter blocks.
  • Fine-mapping of epitopes with overlapping peptides of p23 and gp18 also revealed that the same determinants were detected by the above sera.
  • a series of overlapping peptides were chemically synthesized and each peptide was tested for its ability to bind the antibody from schizophrenics and the sera of animals infected with BDV and/or immunized with p23 and gp18.
  • peptides of 8-mers were chemically synthesized, starting from the amino terminus of p23 and gp18 and spanning the full length of the proteins. Except for the peptides at the amino and carboxyl termini of p23 and gp18, each of the intervening peptide overlaps its neighboring peptides (at its amino and carboxyl ends, respectively) by 4 amino acids.
  • the above 8-mer peptides derived from recp23 were tested against sera from: 6 rats infected with BDV (15 weeks post infection, p.I.); 2 rabbits immunized with recp23 (15 weeks post immunization); and 7 immunoreactive schizophrenic patients (of Section I above).
  • To map the immunoepitopes on gp18 the above 8-mer peptides derived from unglycosylated recp18 were similarly tested, except that the rabbit sera were replaced with sera from 2 mice immunized with native gp18 (15 weeks post immunization).
  • mice were used to determine whether the series of overlapping 8-mer peptides derived from unglycosylated gp18 were specifically immunoreactive with antibodies raised against native gp18.
  • the controls in both tests were the same as in Section I above.
  • FIG. 24A The result of representative SPOTs tests with the 8-mer peptides derived from unglycosylated gp18 are graphically shown in FIG. 24A, the panels contained sera from: 1 mouse immunized with native gp18, 1 rat infected with BDV, and 1 schizophrenic human, respectively.
  • Each spot on the panels indicates the immunoreation of a serum sample with an 8-mer unglycosylated gp18 peptide.
  • the darker the spots the higher the immunoreactivity.
  • the lightest spot (Scale 1) indicates no detectable immunoreactivity; and the darkest spot (Scale 4) indicates highest immunoreactivity.
  • FIG. 1 The lightest spot
  • Scale 4 indicates highest immunoreactivity.
  • the immunoreactivity pattern of the sera against the peptides were similar for all the animals/humans tested. Based on the pattern of immunoreactivity as shown by the spots, the epitopes El to E5 were mapped.
  • the result of the epitope mapping is graphically shown in FIG. 24B, the height of the blocks is directly proportional to the degree of immunoreactivity of the peptides tested which span the full length of gp18, from amino acid at position 1 to position 142.
  • the sequences of the mapped epitopes, E1 to E5 are listed below the histogram of FIG. 24B.
  • the epitopes mapped are the same as in Table 8, above, and confirmed that the sera were specifically immunoreactive with epitopes found within gp18. Again, significantly, the control sera did not immunoreact with the peptides.
  • the above truncated fragments, epitopes and peptides, and nucleotide sequences which encode them or which are complementary to these encoding nucleotide sequences can be used to: (1) diagnose, prognose, monitor, and manage BDV infection/disease and schizophrenia, and more generally neurologic and neuropsychiatric diseases; and (2) vaccinate an animal or human against the foregoing infection and diseases.
  • Other useful truncated immunoreactive fragments, epitopes and peptides can be similarly derived from the other BDV proteins using the method of this Example.
  • nucleotide sequences encoding these truncated fragments, epitopes and peptides, nucleotide sequences complementary to the foregoing, and recombinant vectors and cells expressing the truncated fragments, epitopes and peptides, and their uses are also claimed here.
  • the vaccines, diagnostic, prognostic and monitoring methods, recombinant vectors and cells, and nucleotide sequences can be made using the teaching contained in this patent application in combination with methods known in the art. The above findings also suggest an association between BDV infection and schizophrenia.
  • the BDV antigenome contains five major ORFs, products are reported only for the first three ORFs on the antigenome: N (p40), P (p24/p23) and M (gp18).
  • the fourth ORF predicts a protein (G-protein) of 57 kDa that contains potential N-glycosylation sites.
  • SFV Semliki forest virus
  • the expressed protein migrated at 94 kDa in a 10% SDS-PAGE analysis.
  • a 94 kDa BDV-specific protein was also identified in infected C6 cells by immunoprecipitation with sera from infected rats.
  • the expressed protein was markedly sensitive to tunicamycin, endoglycosidase F/N-glycosidase and endoglycosidase H, indicating that the protein is an N-linked glycoprotein, largely comprised of high mannose- and/or hybrid-type oligosaccharides.
  • SFVp57 transfected cells showed surface expression of the protein and formed syncitia. The protein's presence on the surface of transfected cells supports the hypothesis that the G-protein may be a virion surface attachment protein.
  • the fourth ORF in BDV predicts a protein of 57 kDa with N- and O- glycosylation sites and hydrophobic domains.
  • Our findings show that in fact the fourth ORF encodes a BDV G-protein of approximately 94 kDa with multiple N-glycosylation and O-glycosylation sites and hydrophobic domains at the amino and carboxyl termini reminiscient of the signal sequence and transmembrane domains found in rhabdovirus G-proteins (FIG. 25).
  • FIG. 25 shows the predicted amino acid sequence of the BDV G-protein (this BDV G-protein is also referred to as p57 in this patent application, and the amino acid sequence is listed as SEQ ID No. ⁇ , above).
  • Boxed regions represent the putative endoplasmic reticulum ("ER") signal peptide sequence (amino acids 7 to 20) and transmembrane domain (amino acids 468 to 488).
  • ER endoplasmic reticulum
  • Bold underlined sequences represent potential N-glycosylation sites.
  • the p57 ORF (nt. 2229 to nt. 3744; Strain V) ⁇ Briese, T., et al , Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.
  • the SFVp57 cells formed large multinucleated syncytia and expressed a surface protein detected by sera from BDV infected rats
  • BD-rat sera or "BDSe” but not normal rat sera (NLSe) .
  • SFVLacZ cells did not form syncytia, or express proteins reactive with either BDSe or NLSe.
  • the syncytia formation and surface protein expression observed in cells transfected with SFV-p57 were similar to those described in cells transfected with SFV vectors containing other glycoproteins ⁇ Gallaher, W. R. , et al , J. Virol , 14 : 813 - 820 (1974 ) ; Paul , N . L . , et al. , AIDS Res. and Hum. Retroviruses , 9 : 963 - 970 (1993 ) ⁇ .
  • Lysates of metabolically-labeled SFVp57 and SFVLacZ cells were used for immunoprecipitation (IP) experiments with BDSe and NLSe. Approximately 2 X 10 4 transfected cells (16 hrs after electroporation) were incubated for two hours in 1 ml of methionine-minus Modified Eagles Medium (GibcoBRL, Life Technologies, Inc., Grand Island, New York). Thereafter, 0.2mCi of 35 [S]Met-Cys-protein label mix (New England Nuclear, Boston, Massachusetts) was added for eight hours to radiolabel newly synthesized proteins. Cell lysates were subjected to IP according to
  • BDV-specific proteins were detected in lysates from infected cells by BDSe that were not detected in lysates of infected cells by NLSe or in lysates of noninfected cells by BDSe. These included proteins of 200 kDa (pol), 94 kDa (G-protein), 40 kDa (N protein), 36 kDa, 33 kDa and 23 kDa (P protein). Whether the 36 kDa or 33 kDa proteins are of viral or host origin is unknown.
  • Metabolically-labeled SFV-p57 and SFVLacZ cells were treated with 10 ⁇ g/ml tunicamycin to inhibit N-linked glycosylation.
  • Cell lysates were used in IP experiments with BDSe or NLSe prior to SDS-PAGE and autoradiography.
  • the 94 kDa protein was detected in untreated cells but not in tunicamycin- treated cells.
  • the 64 kDa protein was detected in treated cells but not in untreated cells. Neither protein was detected in SFVLacZ cells.
  • Radiolabeled proteins immunoprecipitated by BDSe were eluted from the sepharose beads by incubation in sixty microliters of 50 mMTris-HCl, pH 6.8, 0.4% SDS, 0.1M 2-mercaptoethanol at 95°C for 10 min and digested with endoglycosidase H (Endo H) (Boehringer Mannheim); endoglycosidase F and N-glycosidase F (Endo F/PNGase F) (J. Elder); Endo H, neuraminidase (Boehringer Mannheim) and O-glycosidase (Boehringer Mannheim); or neuraminidase and O-glycosidase. Methods for carbohydrate digestion followed protocols of the manufacturer (Endo H, neuraminidase, O-glycosidase) or Alexander and Elder
  • Endo H 2.0 mU
  • Endo F/PNGase F 25 mU
  • O-glycosidase 0.8 mU
  • neuraminidase 1.0 mU in
  • Radiolabeled p57 was prepared by in vitro translation in rabbit reticulocytes in the absence of microsomal membranes to provide a nonglycosylated G-protein standard ⁇ Lipkin, W. I., et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.
  • Antibodies to the BDV 94 kDa protein in BDV-infected rats tend to be immunoreactive and are often targets for neutralizing antibodies.
  • Previous studies of the BDV M-protein revealed epitopes that bind neutralizing antibodies ⁇ Hatalski, C. G., et al , J. Virol , 69:741-747 (1995) ⁇ . Because adsorption experiments using purified M-protein did not completely abrogate neutralization activity in chronic BDSe, it was proposed that additional neutralization epitopes might be present on the putative G-protein ⁇ Hatalski, C. G., et al , J. Virol , 69:741-747 (1995) ⁇ .
  • BDV G-protein contains a carboxyl transmembrane domain and localizes to the plasma membrane in pSFV57 cells. These features are reminiscient of other enveloped viral systems where G- proteins mediate early events in infection ⁇ White, J., et al , Q. Rev. Biol. Phys. , 16:151-195 (1983) ⁇ .
  • BDV M-protein may serve as a viral attachment protein, it does not contain terminal mannose residues ⁇ Kliche, S., et al , J. Virol , 68:6918-6923 (1994) ⁇ .
  • BDV G-protein does include terminal mannose residues and could therefore represent the sensitive virion surface component identified in particle infectivity experiments.
  • GenBank data base accession no. U04608
  • GenBank sequence is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
  • the recombinant transfer vector suitable for transformation into Escherichia coli DH10, containing four overlapping cDNA libraries (as described in Example 1, above) representing the entire BDV viral genome has been deposited under the Budapest Treaty, at the American Type Culture Collection, Rockville, MD 20852 (U.S.A.) on December 30, 1994 under the deposit name BDVU04608, and ATCC Accession No. 97008.
  • the present invention is not to be considered limited in scope by the deposited recombinant transfer vector, since the deposited vector is intended only to be illustrative of particular aspects of the invention. Any recombinant transfer vector which can be used to prepare recombinant microorganism which can function to produce a recombinant protein product described herein is considered to be within the scope of this invention. Further, various modifications of the invention in addition to those shown and described herein which are apparent to those skilled in the art from the preceding description are considered to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

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Abstract

La présente invention se rapporte à la séquence nucléotidique génomique du virus de la maladie de Borna, aux séquences nucléotidiques et d'acides aminés des protéines du virus de la maladie de Borna, à des protéines virales de recombinaison, à des vecteurs et des cellules contenant lesdites séquences ou codant lesdites protéines, à des ligands se liant avec ces protéines, par exemple des anticorps, et à leurs utilisations diagnostiques et thérapeutiques.
PCT/US1996/000418 1995-01-06 1996-01-05 Sequences virales de la maladie de borna et procedes diagnostiques et therapeutiques destines aux affections du systeme nerveux Ceased WO1996021020A2 (fr)

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JP8521274A JPH10504724A (ja) 1995-01-06 1996-01-05 ボルナ病ウイルスの配列、神経系疾患のための診断薬および治療薬
EP96903456A EP0805862A1 (fr) 1995-01-06 1996-01-05 Sequences virales de la maladie de borna et procedes diagnostiques et therapeutiques destines aux affections du systeme nerveux
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WO1999034216A1 (fr) * 1997-12-29 1999-07-08 Hanns Ludwig Procede pour la detection d'infections dues au virus de la maladie de borna (bdv)
WO2010006296A3 (fr) * 2008-07-11 2010-03-04 The Regents Of The University Of California Nouveau bornavirus aviaire
US7919256B2 (en) 2003-03-20 2011-04-05 Sysmex Corporation Method for detecting Borna disease virus infection
US20120151614A1 (en) * 2009-03-31 2012-06-14 Keizo Tomonaga Vector utilizing borna disease virus and use thereof
EP3872492A1 (fr) * 2020-02-28 2021-09-01 Seramun Diagnostica GmbH Identification d'infection par le virus de la maladie de borna (bodv) grâce à la détection d'anticorps contre la glycoprotéine bodv

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1998030238A1 (fr) * 1997-01-07 1998-07-16 The Scripps Research Institute Procedes et compositions de detection du virus de la meningo-encephalo-myelite enzootique d'origine humaine
US6057094A (en) * 1997-01-09 2000-05-02 The Scripps Research Institute Methods and compositions for screening of human Borna disease virus
US6653464B1 (en) 1997-01-09 2003-11-25 The Scripps Research Institute Methods and compositions for screening for human Borna disease virus
US7196188B2 (en) * 1997-01-09 2007-03-27 The Scripps Research Institute Methods and compositions for screening of human borna disease virus
WO1999034216A1 (fr) * 1997-12-29 1999-07-08 Hanns Ludwig Procede pour la detection d'infections dues au virus de la maladie de borna (bdv)
US7919256B2 (en) 2003-03-20 2011-04-05 Sysmex Corporation Method for detecting Borna disease virus infection
WO2010006296A3 (fr) * 2008-07-11 2010-03-04 The Regents Of The University Of California Nouveau bornavirus aviaire
US20120151614A1 (en) * 2009-03-31 2012-06-14 Keizo Tomonaga Vector utilizing borna disease virus and use thereof
US9365865B2 (en) * 2009-03-31 2016-06-14 Kyoto University Vector utilizing borna disease virus and use thereof
EP3872492A1 (fr) * 2020-02-28 2021-09-01 Seramun Diagnostica GmbH Identification d'infection par le virus de la maladie de borna (bodv) grâce à la détection d'anticorps contre la glycoprotéine bodv

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